Healing the Past
by seychan524
Summary: She has traveled the world for years, learning many things and meeting new people. Separated by death from her family she discarded her name as a child. Now she is searching for her own place and purpose, but when her past is suddenly brought to the surface she will have to decide to face it or conceal it once again. M for later chapters, slow moving romance.
1. Chapter 1

It's been a while since I've written anything, I hope you enjoy! :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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The sun was high in the sky and only one small fluffy cloud lazily drifted by. The leaves of the trees filtered the warm sunlight on the well traveled road below them. "Are we almost there yet?" a child whined, "It feels like we've been walking for days..."

"Tokiro stop whining. We've only been on the raod for two hours," a gentle voice told the boy. Long, crimson hair swayed slightly as a slender woman laughed and turned towards the boy. The woman looked past the boy to see several others traveling closely behind. They were their friends and colleagues. Three wagons were drawn by donkeys and several other men and women plus a few more children were all talking merrily with each other as they traveled to their next location. They were a group of merchants that were making their way to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The entire group was in high spirits, they had done really well in the Land of Sand. "Look, even little Yukimi isn't whining and she's only two years old," the woman teased the boy as her bright emerald green eyes followed him. The boy had messy, short dark hair and honey colored eyes and looked to be between six and seven years old.

"Hmph!" Tokiro huffed and crossed his arms across his chest, a slight blush tinged his cheeks pink as he turned his face away, embaressed to be compared to the toddler. The woman reached out her hand and touseled his hair, a small smile on her lips. He looked up at the woman and she smiled kindly down at him. Tokiro smiled back brightly and her gaze softened slightly. She had first met the small boy about four years prior, he hadn't been much bigger than little Yukimi. The group of merchants had been making their way through the Land of Water and came across a small, ransacked village. Amongst the carnage the boy was found crying over the corpses of his parents and was wounded badly. nearing death himself. The woman had saved the boy and took him with the group when she learned he would be all alone. She cared deeply for him and raised him as though he were her own child, now he was the most important person in her life. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving the younger Tokiro all alone, she had been orphaned herself when she was young. The only difference was that she was old enough to remember the carnage of the Third Great Shinobi War and remember how her entire family was slaughtered. The only peace she could find in Tokiro's situation was that he was not old enough to remember what had happened.

"Sey-chan!" Tokiro called to the woman loudly, snapping her out of her thoughts. He looked up at her a little worried since it took her so long to respond. She smiled down at him reassuringly as she caught his expression, his big brown eyes watching her a moment longer before asking, "Sey-chan, um, when _are_ we going to get to the village?" His expression changed as he looked up at her eagerly, his eyes brightening.

"You're always so impatient," the woman laughed and shook her head, her laughter was soft and kind, "We should be there soon, Tokiro, it's absolutely beautiful traveling weather. The sun is shining and the breeze is cool, enjoy this down time while you can, you know how busy we will be once we get to the village." She reached out and touseled his hair again and chuckled when he swatted her hand away. She hummed softly to herself as they continued down the road and one of the other travelers approached her, asking her questions about their next stop.

"Look! Look!" Yukimi's small voice rang out from behind them catching their attention. When the woman shifted her gaze down the road she could see the gate to the village a distance away. Tokiro cheered at her side, his eyes lit up excitedly as he ran ahead of them a little, a big grin on his face.

"Hey," a mans voice hummed from behind the woman causing her to jump, "Ah, sorry, didn't mean to startle you." The man chuckled before continuing, "You have all of the trade documents right? I always get so nervous about this paperwork stuff..."

"Don't worry about it, I have everything we need right here," she patted the bag that hung from her shoulder to her hip, "I'll take care of everything at the gate. Please make sure you have everything organized and ready with the group when they are ready to do the inspection."

"I don't know what we'd do without ya," the man smiled at her kindly, "You take care of so much of the legal and financial work for our entire group. It's a lot and you always do it without a complaint and then you work hard to sell the merchandise as well. You always seem to brighten everything up too."

The woman flustered a little at his last comment and held her hands up, "Well, I'm not sure about brightening things up, but I don't mind helping everybody. Also, Ayame is more than capable of doing everything that I'm doing. She really is very organized and gifted when dealing with numbers." The womans green eyes looked up at the gate as they approached it. "I'll leave everything here to you," she said to the man and hastened her pace towards the gate, pulling away from the rest of group. She could hear the man callout out to their colleagues, organizing the group, as she approached the gate.

"Ah, you must be the group of merchants that our superiors told us about," a shinobi at the gate greeted the woman as she approached, "We've been expecting you."

"Yes," the woman said with a smile as she reached for her bag and set it on the counter. She pulled out several packets of documents and went through them one by one, "These are our licences and permits to travel and trade, these are all of our identifications, and this is a list of all of our inventories. Our carts will be set up in the order of the lists to make it easier for inspection." The woman handed the man the documents, he had a bandage across his cheeks and nose, black paint on his chins, and thin eyes.

The guard looked through the documents and commented, "You seem to have everything in order, this should be quick. I'm Kotetsu, by the way. We ca nstart by indentifying everbyody if you don't mind."

"Of course," the woman smiled and introduced herself, "I'm Seyuri Ishikawa, thank you for allowing us the chance to visit your village."

Kotetsu stared for a moment as his eyes looked over the young woman in front of him, according to her identification she was 25 years old. She had long, dark crimson hair that flowed loosely down her back to her waist. Her body was slender and lean and she was about 5 feet 4 inches tall and she was wearing simple short sleeve pale green dress that ended at her knees. He couldn't help but notice how the dress accentuated her small waist and slim hips, her breasts, though not huge, were not too small either. Her face was delicate with a small nose, soft pink lips, creamy smooth skin, and long dark lashes lined her bright green emerald eyes. Though he thought the woman was very pretty, the thing he noticed most about her was her presence. When she smiled at him it was almost as if the sun were shining and he couldn't help but smile back. "Okay," he said looking down at the stack of indentification and setting one down on the desk, "One down. Could you please have them come over when I call their names?" Seyuri nodded and headed back towards her group. She explained what was going on soon and returned to Kotetsu to let him know they were ready. The entire process went smoothly and the inspection was quick, it was all done within an hour of their arrival. "Our Hokage has assigned a team of shinobi to show you all the village and help you get to the inn. They are on their way now," Kotetsu as he looked down the road and spotted four shinobi heading their way, "Looks like them now."

Seyuri followed his stare and watched as the four shinobi approached. She first noticed a teen boy with spikey blonde hair talking excitedly with his comrades. Her green eyes then turned to a pink haired kunoichi as she scolded whacked the blonde teen and scolded him. A black haired teen tried to diffuse the situation, but he too ended up with a lump on his head from the kunoichi. Last she noticed a tall man walking behind the teens reading a book, completely uninterested in what they were fighting about. He had spikey silver hair and the man's face was mostly covered by a mask and his shinobi headband covered his left eye.

"Kakashi!" Kotetsu called out from next to Seyuri, "I didn't realize your team would be taking this mission. I mean this is a D ranked mission after all."

"It seems Lady Hokage wants to take it easy on us since we had such a rough go with our last mission. Naruto just released from the hospital yesterday, so this was her way of getting him to leave her alone," the masked man said as he put his book in the pouch at his hip. "This is the group here I take it?" Kakashi asked looking around at the group and their carts of merchandise.

"That's right. We just finished processing them in and were waiting for you to arrive," Kotetsu said then turned to Seyuri, "Ms. Ishikawa I hope I get a chance to see you since I don't get much time off, I hope you don't sell out before I get a chance to buy something."

"We will be open from early morning till about ten o'clock, so I'm sure you'll be able to look and find something you like," Seyuri said as she faced Kotestu then turned to face the four shinobi that just arrived, "I'm Seyuri Ishikawa, it's very nice to meet you." She greeted them cheerfully and gave them a small wave with a bright smile on her face.

"Why do we have to do such a lame mission?!" the blonde teen groaned looking depressed.

"Naruto!" the pink haired kunoichi punched him in the head and he hit the ground. The group watched the scene unfold with wide eyes and Tokiro took a step out in front of the group.

"Yeah, well maybe we don't want a lame shinobi like you showing us around!" the small boy yelled and pointed at Naruto.

"You little runt! What would you know?!" Naruto exclaimed as he stood up and made a face at Tokiro, teasing the small boy.

"Now, now, Naruto," the silver haired shinobi said exasperatedly, "How many times have a I told you already? You can't speak to the clients like that."

"Yeah!" Tokiro exclaimed and crossed his arms over his chest with a triumphant look then made a face at the blonde shinobi.

"Tokiro," Seyuri said said as she looked down at the small boy and placed a hand on his head, "You know, he kind of reminds me of a boy I know." Tokiro made a disdainful face and turned away embarressed. Seyuri chuckled to herself at his reaction then turned back to the shinobi, "I apologize for the rudeness, I hope you can forgive him."

"There's nothing to apologize for," the kunoichi said with a smile, "That behavior is expected of a child, not from a full fledged shinobi. I hope you can forgive this idiot for his rude comments, he just can't seem to learn." She elbowed the blond teen in the ribs then began to introduce everybody, "Before we get going let me introduce us. I'm Sakura Haruno, the idiot is Naruto Uzumaki, this is Sai, and this is our Captain Kakashi Hatake-sensei." Naruto made a pouting face and Sai waved with an awkward smile.

"It's very nice to meet you all, I'm Seyuri Ishikawa," Seyuri said with a small bow, her long hair falling over her shoulders. She introduced the rest of the group to the shinobis and was quite pleased to find them friendly and energetic.

"Alright," Kakashi said with a closed eye smile, "Now that we all know each other I think we should get started. Naruto, Sakura, and Sai will be showing you all to the inn. If you have any questions be sure to ask them. After you are all unpacked they will show you where you will be permited to sell your merchandise and take you on a small tour of the village. The Hokage has requested that the leader of your group meet with her, I will be escorting that person to the meeting then back to the inn afterwards."

"That's all you little missy," one of the merchants said and put a hand on Seyuri's shoulder, "Seeing as you manage the entire group, you're probably the best one for this. We really don't know what we'd do with out you."

"I really don't think I do as much as you think I do. What if I decided to settle down and marry?" Seyuri jokingly asked and laughed when the mans eyes widened at her question, "I'm only joking, you don't need to worry about me leaving anytime soon. I certainly do not have any plans on getting married. I'll go meet with the Hokage, I'll see you all later." She waved at the group and stepped towards Kakashi.


	2. Chapter 2 - Reveal

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or it's characters.

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Seyuri's emerald eyes looked up at Kakashi as she stepped towards him. "Alright, You'll come with me then Ms. Ishikawa," he said as she stepped forward. The two started walking away from the others, him a step in front of her. They walked along in silence and Seyuri watched the people bustling around the busy streets. She noticed that the people here were lively and merry, it made her smile. "So, how long have you been doing this type of work?" Kakashi asked and slowed his pace a little to fall in step beside her.

"Hm," Seyuri said thoughtfully as she looked up at the sky thinking about it, "I think it's been about 7 years since I started traveling with this group, since I was 18." She turned her head to face Kakashi as she spoke.

"I see. Your parents must have been shocked when you decided to leave," Kakashi said as he looked down at her.

Seyuri turned her eyes away from him as she shook her head and spoke softly, "I've been in an orphanage since I was 8. My family was killed during the last Great Shinobi War."

"Sorry," Kakashi said abruptly, "I didn't mean-" He stopped talking when she lifted her face and her emerald eyes met his onyx one again, a small smile on her lips.

"It's fine," she said lightly, "It's not something you would have known about me. Besides, I have seen and learned many things since I started traveling." She shifted her emerald eyes up to the sky and continued speaking, "I wouldn't be the person I am now if I hadn't experienced the pain and happiness of my past. The people I've met and the things I've experienced are all things that make me who I am and, quite honestly, I think I like that person." She looked back at him with a bright smile.

"I guess you're right," he said as he mulled over her words. They continued their journey to the Hokage's building, talking about the places they've seen. Kakashi was surprised by how much he enjoyed talking to the woman walking next to him. He had been a little put out when he found out it was a woman that would be accompanying him to the Hokage's office, more often than not the women he met had always taken an interest in him in another way. The cheery redhead seemed to have no such inhibitions and he was grateful for it. They talked about places they had traveled to as they made their way to see the Hokage, before long they were stopped in front of the office door.

Kakashi knocked on the door and voice rang out, "Come in." He opened the door and allowed Seyuri to step in first, ahead of her was a blonde woman with pig tails and enormous breasts, staring at her intently. "I take it you're the one leading the group?" she asked then introduced herself, "I am Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of this village. Welcome, I hope you all enjoy your stay here. Now, I need to ask you a few questions for security reasons, please, have a seat." Tsunade gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

"Thank you, the village seems wonderful. We don't really have a leader," Seyuri said as she sat down, "But I do take care of most of the financial matters and organize our schedule. I will answer any questions you may have to the best of my abilities." Seyuri looked at the woman in front of her a bit envious. Tsunade made a strong impression, she had confidence and strength, just the kind of person that would lead a shinobi village. Seyuri admired those qualities.

"That is acceptable," Tsunade replied, "We have encountered a problem, however, we are not sure if it is related to your group or not. Regardless, it is something I must look into for the safety of this village." Tsunade watched Seyuri intently for her reaction and was a little relieved when the redhead looked sincerely confused about any sort of issue they may have caused. Seyuri was about to ask about the issue when Tsunade started to speak again, "It seems that your group has been followed by a team of shinobi and they are not amateurs. We tried to apprehend them and they escaped our scouts easily. Do you have any thoughts or ideas as to why your group may have been followed? Is there anybody in your group that they could have been looking for?"

Seyuri took a moment to rack her brain before responding, "We haven't ran into any trouble at all, except for the occasional bandits here or there. I can confidently say that there is no reason for anybody in our group to be tracked that I know of. The last person to join our group was 4 years ago and he is an orphaned child that I took in." Her mind was swimming as she tried to think of a correlation between her group and a team of shinobi.

At that moment there was a knock on the door and Tsunade spoke in a loud voice, "Enter." Another woman entered the room with a pig in her arms and she ran up to Tsunade's side and began whispering in her ear. When she was done she handed Tsunade a folded piece of paper and left, the door closing with a soft thud behind her. Tsunade gazed down at the paper as she unfolded it then sat it down on the table. "We just got some intelligence on the enemy that was following you. We sent a recon team out to investigate and they were attacked," Tsunade turned her eyes on Seyuri in front of her, "They were barely able to escape and were only able to learn that the person they are after is from the Takahashi family. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but that family was once well known before they were completely slaughtered during..." Tsunade stopped speaking as she noticed Seyuri growing paler and paler in front of her. "You seem to know this story," Tsunade commented after a moment then turned to Kakashi, "Kakashi, please wait in the hall." Kakashi exited the room and Tsunade fixed her eyes back on Seyuri, "You know something."

Seyuri looked down at her hands which were clenched tightly in her lap. It had been a long time since she had heard the name Takahashi and it flooded her mind with terrible memories. She could feel Tsunade's eyes on her, watching her intently, waiting for her to speak. "The Takahashi family was completely destroyed fifteen years ago," Seyuri said still looking down at her hands, her voice trembled as she spoke, "It makes no sense for anybody to be searching for them, they are all dead."

"I was under that assumption as well," Tsunade said, not taking her eyes off Seyuri, "I'm curious as to how you know so much about it. I looked at all of your groups identities and ran background checks on everyone, it all came back clear. So, how do you, an orphan-" Tsunade stopped speaking as it clicked in her head, "Who are you? And don't lie to me!" Tsunade raised her voice and Seyuri winced.

Tsunade stared at the woman sitting in front of her desk and wondered if the small redhead could really be a survivor of the Takahashi family. Seyuri took a breath before she started speaking and Tsunade listened carefully, "I never told anybody my real family name and I never used the power that my family was gifted with. I was only a child on that terrible night, but I was still old enough to understand the danger that came with that name. I watched my entire family as they were cut down in front of me and had a sword pushed through my own chest. I watched as my mother sacrificed the last of her power to save me and she told me to live. The only way I could honor her sacrifice was by casting away who I was. I left our home and traveled to another land, I was so afraid somebody would recognize me. After about a year I was taken in by an orphanage. I stayed there until I was 18 years old and that was when I started traveling with the merchant group. I honestly never intended to bring you trouble. Even to me, the Takahashi all died 15 years ago, I do not even know how anybody could have found out who I am." The redhead sighed and finally looked up at Tsunade, there were a multitude of emotions in her emerald eyes.

Tsunade listened quietly as the slender woman in front of her spoke. When Seyuri was finished talking Tsunade let out a small sigh herself, "So there was a survivor from the Takahashi after all, huh? To think that there was a survivor after all of this time, even I am a little shocked to hear this. Now, what to do with you..." Tsunade sat silently while she thought then turned back to Seyuri, "I guess it really depends on what _you_ want to do. Will you seek help and hide or will you continue to travel with your group? Will you travel alone? If that is the case, you would be captured almost immediately. The abilities that your family possessed are powerful in their own way. There would be no sense in throwing them away or giving them to an unknown entity. But again, what happens is entirely up to you." Seyuri looked down at her clenched fists again, she had no idea what she was going to do. There was no way she could continue with the merchants and, just like Tsunade said, if she were to go alone she would most certainly be captured. Tsunade watched conflicting emotions flicker across Seyuri's face and spoke in a softer tone, "Don't worry about it too much right now, it's a lot to take in all at once. You will be safe while you are here in this village. The Takahashi were always kind to my family and I will repay the favor."

"Thank you, you're too kind Lady Tsunade," Seyuri looked up at her and gave her pained smile, "It was never my intention to bring you any trouble, it's not my own safety that I'm worried for."

"Either way," Tsunade said, "It is something that you will need to worry about." She gazed at the girl for a moment longer before raising her voice and looking at the door, "Kakashi, you can come back in now." Kakashi stepped back into the room and closed the door behind him, he looked at Tsunade waiting for more orders and she didn't disappoint him, "I have a new mission for you. You are to look over Ms. Ishikawa here while she is with us. I also need to fill you in on the situation." Seyuri sat quietly while Tsunade filled Kakashi in on her true identity and the present situation. "Ms. Ishikawa here is actually from the Takahashi family, however, we will continue to use the name Ishikawa so we don't attract even more attention. Kakashi, you were still quite young when the Takahashi were wiped out, so I will give you a little background. As you probably know, they were renowned for their medical skills, but were not shinobi. They also did not ally themselves with anybody in particular and wished to stay a neutral party. Sadly, in the end this led to their demise when they refused to take part in the last Great Shinobi War. The healing powers of the Takahashi are far greater than even my own abilities. Nobody knows why or how they were able to perform what seemed liked miracles, they were always very secretive about it. Ms. Ishikawa is the last person alive to possess these amazing abilities and we need to keep her safe. It has always left a bad taste in my mouth that we were unable to go to their aid and this is my way of trying to right that wrong."

When Tsunade was done and Kakashi was clear on his mission she turned back to Seyuri, "I don't mean to rush you, but you will need to make a decision and the sooner, the better. Even if we apprehend the shinobi that are after you now, there will be more to follow. You will need to decide what you are going to do. What do you want to do? Will you leave with your group in a week as planned? Or will you break off and go on your own? Will you rely on others or try to over come this by yourself? Will you give up or will you do something about the situation you are in? These are all things only you can answer, nobody can decide your fate except you. Now, I need to go to the hospital and see the team that was attacked by the enemy."

"Lady Hokage," Seyuri said as she stood up, "Please let me go with you to see them. It's my fault that they were injured and I would also like to hear what they have to say. Please, I would also treat their injuries if you would allow it, it's the least I can do."

Tsunade looked at Seyuri for a moment before nodding her head, "Do as you please." She headed out the door and Seyuri and Kakashi followed her. Tsunade made her way to the hospital at a fast pace, Seyuri and Kakashi followed her silently. "I'm here to see the team that was recently admitted," Tsunade said to the receptionist as they walked up to the desk.

The receptionist looked at them with a worried expression before speaking, "One of the men are in critical condition right now He has extensive injuries and we're not sure if he's going to pull through." She gave them the room number and Tsunade led the way, almost running. When they reached the room there was a woman out in the hallway crying and a doctor was talking to her.

"What is his condition?" Tsunade asked as she approached the doctor. The doctor shook his head and he pulled Tsunade into the room with him.

"There was extensive damage to his heart and lungs," the doctor said as he looked at the man on the bed. He was hooked up to several machines and covered in bandages. "We did all we could, but I'm afraid it doesn't look good. Lady Hokage, I'm not sure if even you...hey what are you doing?!" The doctor stopped talking and questioned Seyuri as she approached the man on the bed.

Seyuri approached the man, she could feel his life fading fast. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she responded to the doctor, "This is all my fault..." She raised her hands over the man and closed her eyes in concentration. She moved her hands slowly over the man and took a deep breath as she stopped with one hand over his chest and the other over his head. "He also has extreme damage to the frontal lobe and he's lost his left eye," Seyuri mumbled to herself as she gathered her chakra. The doctor moved to stop her but Tsunade grabbed his arm. The three of them watched silently as Seyuri started to work. "Here," she muttered to herself as chakra gathered around her and she poured it into the man. After about twenty minutes Seyuri opened her eyes and moved her hands slowly over the man again, stopping both hands over his head this time. "The brain is difficult," she whispered and closed her eyes again, "so many nerves...that's it, there." She gathered chakra again and this time it poured precisely from her fingertips to a single spot on the mans head. After about ten more minutes Seyuri let her hands hover over the mans body again as she opened her eyes.

Just as Seyuri let her hands fall to her sides the man opened both of his eyes and the doctor watched in shock, he knew the man had lost his left eye. "What happened?" the man said as he sat up slowly and looked around.

Seyuri smiled at him before her vision went blurry, her body was completely exhausted from using so much chakra. She watched the room sway around her and felt herself falling, too weak to stand. Just as she was about to hit the floor she felt strong arms wrap around her. "Good catch, Kakashi," Seyuri heard Tsunade say and she looked up to see the masked shinobi, his arms holding her to his chest as he stood up.

"S-sorry, I'm not used to using it," Seyuri said breathlessly, embarrassed by her own weakness.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Kakashi said as he watched the man sitting in the bed, "What you just did was incredible." He looked down at the small woman in his arms before setting her down slowly on her feet, Seyuri grabbed his arm to balance herself before also turning and looking at the man.

"This is impossible," the doctor said as he looked the man over, "I haven't seen anything like this since the Takahashi. Lady Hokage, who is this woman?" The doctor turned and looked between Seyuri and Tsunade.

"It doesn't matter right now," Tsunade said as she also looked at the man in astonishment then over at Seyuri. Her eyes looked at the redhead intently before she spoke again, "I'll be back in a little while, you should probably speak to this man's family again." Tsunade, Kakashi, and Seyuri left the room and the doctor brought the woman who was crying in the hallway in. "I think it would be wise if you didn't try to do that again right off," Tsunade said as they turned a corner in the hallway, "If you insist on healing the rest of that team you need to rest first."

Seyuri nodded her head in response and stopped walking, the motion making her feel dizzier. She leaned against the wall for a moment and the other two stopped and looked back at her and started to step towards her, afraid she would collapse again. "I'm fine," Seyuri said noticing the looks of concern on their faces, "I just need to rest a moment."

They waited for a few minutes before Seyuri stood up straight and she smoothed her dress. "I won't be able to see the others today, but I would like to come visit them tomorrow," she said looking at Tsunade and Kakashi determined.

"Kakashi," Tsunade said looking at the tall shinobi standing next to her, "She is allowed to come see them, as her body guard, you will escort her."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said and looked over Seyuri, her body was shaking slightly and she looked like she would collapse again at any moment, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I just need to eat something," she gave him a weak smile and started to move forward again, "It takes a lot of energy to use my abilities and the damage that man had sustained was so severe. Even I was afraid I wouldn't be able to repair it...it's been so long since I had done it. I would also like to speak to him tomorrow if that would be alright."

"Of course," Tsunade said as the three of them started moving forward again, "Kakashi, I'm going to go ahead and see the rest of the team. I need to get the details from their mission, if I find anything else out pertaining to Ms. Ishikawa I will let you know. I leave the rest here to you." With that Tsunade took off down the hall leaving the two of them alone.

Kakashi turned back and looked at Seyuri again as she stumbled and fell forward. He moved quickly and caught her against his chest before picking her up in his arms bridal style. "I-I can walk," she said embarrassed.

He laughed at her red face and smiled down at her, his eye closed as he did so. "I just think it will be faster this way, let's go get you something to eat," he said and he took off. Seyuri closed her eyes as everything around her moved in a quick blur, it made her stomach feel sick. "I think this should do," she heard Kakashi say as they stopped moving, she slowly opened her emerald eyes and looked around. He set her down on her feet slowly and she noticed they were in front of a ramen stand.

"Oh, it smells good. Thank you," Seyuri commented and smiled up at Kakashi before stepping up to the shop and taking a seat. Kakashi sat next to her and they placed their orders, sitting in silence until their food was served. "Ah! It's so good!" Seyuri exclaimed as she started eating, finishing the bowl in record time, "Another one please!" Kakashi watched in amusement as the thin girl next to him ate three more bowls. When she was finished she rubbed her stomach commented, "That was good, I'm really full now and I feel so much better."

"Where did you even put all that?" Kakashi chuckled as they paid for their food and left the stand, "I guess I should you where the inn is, I'm sure you're tired and it's getting late." The sun was beginning to set and they headed down the street.

"Actually, could I trouble you to show me where we will be setting up tomorrow?" Seyuri asked as she stretched her arms over her head, "I still have responsibilities to our group and I want to make sure everything will be ready for tomorrow."Kakashi agreed and brought her to the area they were permitted to sell in. He watched curiously as Seyuri pulled out a notepad and started righting things down and sketching the scene. "I think that will work," she said to herself as she looked down at the pad then back up at the street, "If we set up this way I think it will be most appealing to the customers. I'm all done here, thank you for waiting."

"Alright, then we should head to the inn now," Kakashi said as she turned back to look at him, "I'm sure your friends are getting worried about you, we've been gone for quite some time." The two headed back to the inn, neither of them speaking. Seyuri was thinking of the multitude of events that had happened in the past few hours, it was overwhelming. She thought about the group she traveled with, they had become like family to her, and a sudden realization hit her. She would not be able to continue on with them, the current situation was too dangerous and she would never forgive herself if something happened to them. She paused momentarily as they approached the inn, unsure of what she would tell them. She wasn't even sure what she was going to do herself and she couldn't exactly tell them the truth either. Seyuri sighed heavily and took a step forward, deciding that she would tell them when she knew herself.


	3. Chapter 3 - Decision

Note from the Author: Hello, thank you for reading my work. It's been a long time since I've written anything and I'm a bit rusty. I would love to hear feedback or any suggestions from the readers, I was thinking of possibly doing some side stories at the end of chapters per the readers requests. I know this story is starting out kind of slow, but as it progresses it will include more mature content and the romance will be slow as I develop the characters and plot.

Again, thank you for reading - I hope you enjoy! :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. I do own the following characters in this story: Seyuri, Tokiro, Hiroshi.

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Seyuri made her way to the door of the inn, Kakashi a few steps behind her. She took a breath before she opened the door and was greeted with the sight of her colleagues and friends gathered at tables eating and drinking merrily. The inn was loud and boisterous as they all talked animatedly with the three younger shinobi, sharing stories and experiences. "Ah, it's about time you showed up, we were starting to get a little worried," one of the men at a table close to the door said as he noticed Seyuri enter the inn, he suddenly looked at her with a bit more concern, "You alright Seyuri? You're not looking too good. Did something happen?"

A few more people turned to look at her when they heard the mans comment. "I'm fine, just a bit tired I think," Seyuri said and smiled, trying to hide the stress of the earlier events that were probably showing on her face.

"Come over and have something to eat," the man said pulling a chair up next to him and motioning to it, "I know that will put a little more pep in your step." Seyuri nodded and started towards the table, but Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

She turned her head and looked up at him, curious as to why he stopped her. He bent down slightly and whispered, "Don't forget that I'm assigned as your body guard now. I won't intrude upon you and your friends, I'll sit by the bar. If you notice anything weird or strange please let me know right away. You also can't go out by yourself, I know it's an inconvenience, but it can't be helped." Seyuri nodded her head as he stood back up straight and he gave her a small smile through his mask before heading towards the bar. Her green eyes watched his back for a moment before heading to the table her friend had called her to previously.

"So, that's the type you like, huh?" the man said as Seyuri sat down next to him, he had noticed how her eyes had followed Kakashi before she took her seat.

"No, no," Seyuri said and laughed lightly, "Hiroshi,I think you've misunderstood something." She looked at the man sitting next to her and smiled. He had tanned skin and long dark brown hair that was tied back at the base of his neck. He had a nice face with dark blue eyes, a strong chin, and straight nose. They were close in age and she knew how he felt about her, but she simply didn't feel the same way.

"Here, it's all of your favorite things," Hiroshi said as he set a plate in front her, his dark blue eyes looking at her with concern again, "Are you sure you feel alright? You look pale and exhausted, not like your usual vibrant self."

"I assure you, I'm fine. Well, maybe exhausted," Seyuri gave him a reassuring smile and she looked down at the plate he had placed in front of her. Just like he said, it was all of her favorite foods, but she was still full from all of the ramen she had just eaten with Kakashi. She picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, she didn't want to worry him.

Kakashi observed the room from the bar, looking for anything suspicious. His eyes caught on Seyuri and the man she was sitting next to. They were talking together and he seemed to be fussing over her. 'Her lover? I really shouldn't be too surprised,' he thought to himself as he continued to watch the two.

"You know, if you stare that much she'll notice," Kakashi turned his head as he heard a female voice next to him. Sakura looked up at him with a slight smirk on her face, he hadn't even noticed she had approached him. He frowned under his mask, he had let his guard down. "I really didn't think you would be the kind to get sucked in by a pretty girl," Sakura said as her sea foam colored eyes watched him, "but then again you do seem to like those pervy books that Master Jiraiya writes. Anyway, what happened? You can't hide it from me, I'm not clueless like Naruto and Sai."

"I can't tell you the details, but I have been assigned as Ms. Ishikawa's body guard for the time being," Kakashi said as he let his eye scan the room again, careful to avoid letting it linger on the redhead he was guarding.

"I see," Sakura said as she turned her gaze away from Kakashi, "I thought something must have happened, you were gone too long. What happened to her though, she really doesn't look good and she was so full of energy before the two of you left."

"I can't tell you that either," Kakashi said with a sigh as he turned his eye on the pink haired kunoichi next to him, "Right now, any information pertaining to Ms. Ishikawa is classified. I'm sure Lady Hokage will fill you in soon enough, though."

Sakura nodded and stood up from the stool next to him and turned to him before she left, "I take it this is a solitary mission for you and the rest of Team 7 is to await new orders?" Kakashi nodded and watched as Sakura left to join the rest of the crowd.

Seyuri pushed the food Hiroshi gave her around on her plate. She had taken a few bites, but she was really full and couldn't stomach much more. She could feel Hiroshi's blue eyes on her and he reached over and placed his hand on her arm, "Maybe you're coming down with something? Even though I've never seen you sick before, it's not like you to not eat. Maybe you should go rest."

"Maybe you're right," Seyuri said as she set her fork down on her plate, "I think I'll go lay down for a while." She stood up and Hiroshi stood with her. "I think I can manage on my own," Seyuri said as her eye met his, he looked very concerned, "Don't worry so much. I didn't sleep very well last night, I'm sure I'll be fine after I get some good rest." Hiroshi nodded and watched her until her red hair disappeared behind the corner to the stairs. He sighed and moved his eyes over towards the bar, he had caught the silver haired shinobi watching them closely earlier. Hiroshi sat down and brooded over his beer, unsure of what to think about the situation. Something had definitely happened when Seyuri was with that guy, but she insisted it was nothing and that she was just tired from their journey. He noticed how the shinobi had watched her and something just didn't sit right with him.

Seyuri opened the door to the room she was sharing with a couple of the other women she was traveling with. There was an older woman with her back to the door and she jumped slightly when she turned and saw Seyuri. "Sorry about that," Seyuri said as she walked over to the bed that had her belongings on it, "I didn't mean to startle you. I'm not feeling the greatest and think I'm going to rest for a while." She started to put her things away and sat on the edge of the bed.

"That's not like you at all," the woman said concerned, "In all the time I've known you, I don't think you've ever been sick. I'll let you have some peace and quiet, make sure you let me know if you need anything." She backed out of the room and closed the door quietly, leaving Seyuri by herself. Seyuri fell back on the bed, her red hair spread out around her, and she stared at the ceiling.

"Ugh," Seyuri whispered to herself and held her forearms up over her eyes, "What am I going to do?" She rolled over on her side and curled up in a ball. 'There's definitely no way I'll be able to continue traveling with them,' she thought as she bit her lip in frustration, 'I know what I _shouldn't_ do, but I have no idea what I _should_ do.' She sighed heavily and felt her eyes getting heavier and heavier, her breathing slowed as she fell into a fitful sleep.

Downstairs the rest of the group talked in quiet voices, concerned about their favorite redhead. Seyuri was usually full of energy and happiness, even when she was tired she always seemed to give everybody else the strength to keep going. Kakashi sighed and took another swig of his drink, many of the men that were talking kept giving him suspicious glances here and there. Naruto, Sakura, and Sai had left not too long ago and they were probably wondering why Kakashi was still sticking around. After a while Kakashi watched from the corner of his eye as Hiroshi approached him. "Hey, I'm not trying to be rude, but did something happen when you took her to see the Hokage? It's also kind of strange that you're still sticking around here when the rest of your team left," Hiroshi looked Kakashi in the eye as he spoke.

Kakashi turned and faced the man who was talking to him. Hiroshi had good character and confidence by the way he talked and looked Kakashi in the eye. 'He is a good man,' Kakashi thought to himself before replying, "I assure you, nothing out of the ordinary happened. However, she did say that she wasn't feeling her greatest. Perhaps, she's simply tired from traveling or coming down with something. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check into my room. My landlord is making improvements, so, I've been staying here until they're completed." Kakashi stood and talked to the innkeeper, hoping that his excuse was believable. He followed the innkeeper upstairs and he could feel Hiroshi's eyes on his back.

Seyuri woke up and looked around, a bit disoriented with her surroundings. It took her a moment to realize where she was as she looked around at the unfamiliar room. It was dark outside and she could hear the slow breathing of the other two women in the room as they slept. Seyuri slowly slipped out of bed and crept towards the door, careful not to wake the others. She silently closed the door behind her as she exited the room. Just as she was turning to start down the hallway a quiet, low voice spoke to her, "Going somewhere?"

Red hair whirled around her as she whipped her head towards the sound of the voice and clasped a hand to her chest, trying to slow her racing heart. Her green eyes met a single black eye and silvery hair and she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Kakashi," she spoke softly as her eyes moved over his form leaning against the wall a few feet from her door, "You startled me. I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep, what time is it?"

"It's about 3:30 AM. Where are you going?" He questioned her again as he stood up straight, his eye watching her carefully. He honestly didn't think she would try to do anything stupid, like runaway, but it was his job to watch over her.

"I don't know," Seyuri said honestly after a moment, "I don't want to wake the others up though, let's go downstairs." She turned and started quietly down the hallway towards the stairs, her long crimson hair swaying softly behind her. Her green eyes roamed over the empty common area after she descended the stairs, the only other person in the room was the barkeep polishing glasses. "I know it's late," Seyuri said as she approached him, "but is there anything I could get to eat at this time."

The barkeep looked her over for a moment before replying, "We don't usually have anything this late, but I might have some rice balls or bread and butter if that's okay." Seyuri smiled happily as he brought her the said items and a glass of water. She found her way to a table by the window that looked out on the street. She sat down and looked through the window at the dark and empty street outside as Kakashi took a seat across from her. His eye watched her carefully, the moonlight reflected in her green eyes and illuminated her pale skin, she bit her lip as she stared out of the window thoughtfully.

After a bit she turned back to the table and picked up one of the rice balls and took a bite, chewing it slowly before swallowing. She looked up at Kakashi sitting across from her and picked up the other rice ball and offered it to him, "Would you like one?"

Kakashi blinked and looked down at the rice ball for a moment. "Actually, I think I would," he said as he reached across the table and took the the rice ball from her. Seyuri watched him curiously as he turned away, when he turned back towards her the rice ball had disappeared.

"How..." Seyuri blinked and asked him incredulously, "Where did the rice ball go? There's no way you could have eaten it that fast." Her green eyes searched him intently, this was the first time she had looked at him closely. Although he wore a mask, he had a nice facial structure, it made her curious to see what was under it. Her eyes studied his face closely making her wonder about his covered eye as well and the moonlight caught on his silver hair.

Her eyes moved back to his, emerald meeting onyx, as a low chuckle filled the quiet room, his visible eye brightened and crinkled a bit. "Surely, it's not that surprising?" Kakashi asked, amused by her reaction.

Seyuri smiled at him and took another bite of her own rice ball. "I couldn't imagine trying to eat this that quickly," she said with a small laugh.

"I seem to recall you downing 3 large bowls of ramen not too long ago. Now, I couldn't imagine doing that," Kakashi teased her and laughed when her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.

"You know, initially I felt a little guilty that you had to get up so early, but now I'm not feeling so bad," Seyuri retorted and took another bite of her rice ball and went back to staring at the window.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her comment, he wasn't offended, but he hadn't expected such a remark either. She was a bit more of a spitfire than he had initially thought. "There was never any reason to feel guilty anyway," Kakashi said with a smile, "I slept earlier when you did. Besides, I've been on plenty of other missions where I got a lot less sleep.". Kakashi couldn't help but stare at her again as she ate her rice ball while looking out the window. The moonlight streamed across her fair skin and made her emerald eyes shine like gems. Her long, crimson hair was pulled over one shoulder, exposing her slender neck on the other side.

"You know," Seyuri said after she finished her rice ball and turned her eyes back on him, "I'm not going to try to run off. I understand you need to keep an eye on me, but you don't need to watch me that closely."

"Sorry," Kakashi said, a little embarrassed that he was caught staring so openly, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. However, you can learn a lot about a person by watching them."

"I see," Seyuri said as she pulled a notebook out of the small bag she had with her. She started writing things down and Kakashi watched her curiously. "Even though I have my own problems right now, I still have responsibilities that others are counting on me for. I normally would have done this last night, but I was so tired I couldn't do it. Besides, this will probably be the last time I do this..." Kakashi wondered what she had meant by her last statement and it must have shown on his face because she continued after glancing up at him, "I know what I can't do regarding my own situation. I cannot continue to travel with my group like I have been, it would only put them in danger." Seyuri continued to move her pen across the paper, writing quickly as she planned out their marketing strategies for later in the day. After a few minutes she sighed heavily and set her pen down, finished with her work, she put her notebook away. She fiddled with the pen on the table frustrated.

Kakashi listened and watched her work silently. He spoke when she was finished working, "It seems like you already have a good start, you still have some time to come up with a solution."

"Well," Seyuri said as she stood up and stretched, "I'll figure it out, I really don't have a choice. I've made it this far so I'm not going to give up now. I'm going to take a shower and get ready for the day, it's going to be busy." She gathered her things and headed towards the stairs, half way there she turned back to Kakashi, "You don't need to follow me there." Kakashi chuckled and nodded his head then turned to look out the window, the sun was beginning to rise.

The days flew by as the merchants worked on selling their wares. Seyuri was surprised that Kakashi lent them a helping hand, stating that since he had to be there anyways he might as well help out. She had to admit it was fun working with him, especially when the three younger shinobi showed up. They were lively and made the entire group laugh. Before she knew it she only had one and a half days left to figure out a solution to her dilemma and she had gotten no further than she was on that first night.

Seyuri laid on her back staring up at the ceiling in her bed at the inn, listening to the steady breathing of the other two women sleeping. She had been laying there for a couple of hours and she only tossed and turned. Her mind was racing and wouldn't let her sleep, she need to figure out what she was going to do. She sighed and slowly got up out of bed, grabbing her bag before quietly leaving the room. Seyuri closed the door silently behind her and crept down the hall, stopping in front of another door a little ways down. Kakashi had stopped tailing her so closely on the condition that she would not wander around on her own.

She reached up and knocked on the door lightly. "Kakashi?" She called out in a hushed voice. She heard some scuffling noises and the door opened revealing Kakashi in a pair of shorts and his mask. Seyuri blushed and turned away at the sight of his naked and toned upper body. "Um, sorry," she mumbled flustered, "it's just, um, never mind...good night." She started to walk away when she felt Kakashi's fingers wrap around her wrist and she turned to face him.

"It's fine, just wait a minute," Kakashi said and closed the door. Seyuri waited, the blush receding from her face. She had not expected that, though now in hindsight, it was rather late and he had probably been sleeping. The door opened up and she looked up to find a fully clothed Kakashi. He smirked through his mask and teased her, "I didn't think you'd get so flustered over a half naked man."

Seyuri's face turned as red as her hair at his comment. "I'm just not used to that, jerk," she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. The two had become rather close in the last week since they had spent so much time together. They both enjoyed each others company and conversations, even when neither of them talked the silence was comfortable. "Anyway," she sighed and looked up at him, "I'm sorry for waking you, but I want to go for a walk. I need to figure out what I'm going to do. I'm running out of time and I need to clear my head."

Kakashi looked down at the slender woman in front of him, she didn't even try to hide the worry on her face. He felt badly about her situation, the more he got to know her the more he thought she was a wonderful person. She seemed to be able to brighten any mood and bring happiness to those around her, although she did seem to have a small temper. "Alright," he spoke softly as he stepped out into the hallway and closed his door,following Seyuri as she started down the hall.

She walked around the quiet town, Kakashi following silently a few steps behind her. She stopped as they neared a small flower garden and pond, the moon reflected in the waters surface. "This will work nicely," her voice was soft as she spoke to herself and sat on a bench in front of the pond. She took out her notebook and a pen and started writing. Kakashi stood back, leaning against a nearby tree, and watched her. "What do I want to do?" Seyuri asked herself as she looked up at the moon then looked back down and started writing again. After a few minutes she set the notebook on the bench next to her and let out a frustrated sigh.

Kakashi watched her struggle with her dilemma. It was a hard problem and there were no easy answers. "Maybe," Kakashi said lightly as he approached the bench, "If you speak out loud it will help. If you want my opinion I will give it to you, but I can't give you an answer to your problem." He took a seat next to her and looked at the moons reflections in the pond.

"Seyuri bent her head down as she began to speak quietly, "I want to do so many things. I want to be stronger, I don't want others to et hurt because of me. I want to help people, I have the ability to save lives. My entire life I have hidden that part of me, I ran away from it. What I Really want is to change. I want to become a better and stronger person. Kakashi, how do I do that?" Her voice cracked when she finished and a single tear slid down her cheek.

Kakashi continued to look out over the pond as he placed a hand over Seyuri's clenched fist, trying to comfort her. "I think," he said slowly, "that you have already made your decision." Seyuri wiped her tears and looked over at Kakashi next to her a little confused. "Lady Hokage never asked you _how_ you were going to do anything, she simply asked you _what_ you were going to do." Seyuri blinked and stared at Kakashi blankly, unsure if she should think that way. "We'll go see Lady Hokage in the morning," Kakashi said and stood up from the bench, "And if it's any consolation, I think that is an excellent answer."

Kakashi started to walk away when he felt something tugging on the back of his shirt. He turned to see Seyuri standing behind him, her fingers clenching the hem of his vest, she was looking down at her feet. "Thank you, Kakashi," she whispered and looked up at him with a warm smile as she let go of his vest.

Kakashi felt his heart thump when his eyes met hers and he turned to face her. "I didn't really do anything though," he said and scratched his head with a smile, "But isn't that what friends are for?"

"You did a lot more than you think, I'm lucky to have made such a great friend. Now, let's go back and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day," Seyuri smiled brightly at him and stepped past him, Kakashi smiled back at her and followed.


	4. Chapter 4 - Until Next Time

A/N: I know this update is a little late, but it's been crazy with Holiday Season. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

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Seyuri's eyes fluttered open as she heard the others she shared a room with at the inn begin to stir. She yawned and stretched as she sat up. She greeted the other women as she got ready for the day, the sky was just beginning to lighten when she departed the room and headed downstairs for breakfast. "Good morning," Seyuri greeted as she stepped into the common area of the inn.

"Good morning," Hiroshi said as he approached her, "You're up later than usual today. I have your breakfast for you over at that table."

"You know," Seyuri started as she followed him over to the table, "You really don't need to order my breakfast for me..." She sat down at the table and looked down at her plate, it was all things she likes.

"I know I don't have to," Hiroshi said as he sat down across from her, "I do it because I want to." His dark blue eyes settled on the red head in front of him and she stared back at him with a small frown on her lips. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Hiroshi," Seyuri sighed and studied him before continuing, "You really should stop with this. I understand how you feel, but I've already told you I cannot return your feelings. Instead of paying me these small kindnesses you should use that effort to find somebody else."

This time Hiroshi was the one to frown. "I already know that you rejected me, you don't need to remind me of it. I really don't think there is anything wrong with being kind."

"Then be kind to others instead of just to me," Seyuri said exasperatedly, "We've had this conversation so many times before and you were getting better. It seems like since we arrived in the Leaf Village you regressed back to the beginning."

"Well that's because that guy is following you around like a lost puppy," Hiroshi retorted with a huff.

"Guy?" Seyuri said and thought for a moment before laughing, "You mean Kakashi? That's absurd, neither of us are interested in each other in such a way. You're looking into it too much Hiroshi. The Lady Hokage assigned him to help out our group while we are here, that's why he's always around. I already told you this."

"Well, there are other members of the group. He doesn't need to be all over you all the time," he huffed, "Eat your breakfast, we are going to have to go soon."

"Jealousy doesn't suit you," she laughed and picked up her fork. She ate quietly as the room filled up with the rest of her group. Hiroshi scowled as Kakashi sat down next to Seyuri with his own plate of food, seemingly oblivious to the man sitting across from them. Seyuri's green eyes scanned the room and she suddenly felt very sad that this would be one of the last times she would see everybody like this. She set her fork on her empty plate and turned to Kakashi, "We need to go soon, you were nearly late this morning."

Kakashi turned towards Seyuri, a smirk evident under his mask, "Well I didn't get much sleep last night since somebody had to come knocking on my door in the middle of the night." He could barely contain his laughter at the face Hiroshi was making across the table at the two of them.

Seyuri slapped his arm when she realized Kakashi had purposely teased Hiroshi, he seemed to get a kick out of his reactions and jealousy. "Don't be an ass," she said as she stood up from the table, "Hurry and finish I want to go. I need to help set up and get things going before we go see the Hokage."

"You're going to see the Hokage today?" Hiroshi asked as Kakashi stealthily ate his breakfast in lightening quick bites. "You didn't mention this before."

"It must have slipped my mind. It's not a big deal." Hiroshi nodded and didn't prod any further. He felt that Seyuri had been acting strangely since they had come to this village and more than likely it was something personal. If it had to do with the group she would have informed everybody immediately.

When Kakashi finished eating they headed out with the rest of the group that would be working the stands during the first half of the day. It took about an hour to get everything set and things running smoothly. "Alright, I'll be back soon," Seyuri said to the others as she and Kakashi left the stand. They walked in silence and she thought about what she was going to say to Tsunade, she honestly wasn't sure if Kakashi's interpretation was the right way to think.

Kakashi took a sideways glance at Seyuri as they started to ascend the stair to the Hokage's office, he could tell she was nervous. "Hey, don't worry so much. It's going to work out fine," he said trying to calm her nerves. Seyuri nodded and they were soon stopped in front of the Hokage's door. She fidgeted slightly as Kakashi knocked Tsunade's voice boomed from the other side, "Enter." She took a deep breath as Kakashi opened the door and she stepped in ahead of him.

Tsunade watched as the two stepped in to the room. "Have a seat," she said, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk. Kakashi leaned on the wall next to door, his onyx eye watching as Seyuri sat down in front of Tsunade. "I take it you've come to a decision."

Seyuri took a breath, gathering her confidence, and she looked Tsunade in the eyes. "I don't want people to get hurt or die because of me. My entire life I have ran away from my own power. I can save lives and I will learn how to better use my abilities to help people. I want to become stronger."

"Tsunade smiled at Seyuri. The small red head had more determination then she originally thought and she liked that. "How will you do this? By yourself?"

Seyuri tensed for a moment at the question then suddenly thought back to their first conversation. She recalled Tsunade asking her if she would do this by herself of would she depend on others. The answer was suddenly very clear. " I will depend on others," Seyuri said confidently, "and in return I will get stronger so that they can depend on me as well." Tsunade smiled triumphantly at he answer, as if she had known all along that this would be the outcome. "And so, Lady Hokage, I have a favor to ask of you," Seyuri continued, "I wish to stay her in this village and become stronger. With your help I will hone my abilities and use them to help the people here. Although, I do not believe I would be able to become a ninja. I don't think I would be able to bring harm to others."

"That would not be asked of you. Your family were never ninja and, unless that's the path you want to take, neither should you be. However, if you allow us to study your abilities it could help us improve our own medical ninjutsu. This would allow us to save countless shinobi lives in the field. You have my approval to stay here in the village."

"Um," Seyuri said suddenly, "I have one more request." Tsunade gave Seyuri a look to let her know she was listening. "I have been taking care of a small orphan boy for four years now. His welfare is my responsibility and I would like to request he stay here with me. I cannot abandon him." Seyuri had also been thinking of Tokiro and what would happen to him. Although she knew Ayame, on of the women in the group, would care for him she didn't want to leave him behind. She had truly grown to love him as though he were her own son.

"That's not a problem," Tsunade said and she got more information about the boy. "Well," Tsunade said after they finished discussing housing arrangements and other matters, "Welcome to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, you and Tokiro will be our newest residents."

"Thank you," Seyuri smiled and stood up, "I promise I will work hard to earn my place here." With that Seyuri and Kakashi departed Tsunade's office. The two made their way back to the caravan in silence. So much had happened and Seyuri was still trying to wrap her head around it. Seyuri stopped when the group came into view and let out a soft sigh. Kakashi stopped and looked at her. "It's going to be difficult to tell them," her emerald eyes softened as she watched them, a sad expression on her face.

"It's not as though you'll never see them again," Kakashi said softly from her side, "I'm sure they will come back to this place at some point and you can show them how strong you've become."

Seyuri smiled at the tall shinobi next to her, "I suppose you're right. Let's go." She started towards the group, Kakashi following a few steps behind her.

Later that night everybody was gathered in the common area of the inn, they would be leaving the village the next morning. The room was lively since sales had been more than what they had expected. Everybody was sitting at large tables eating and drinking merrily, even Kakashi and the rest of Team 7 were present.

Seyuri looked around the room as she slowly ate her dinner, she knew now would be a good time to let everybody know her plans. She was nervous and sad about what she had to do, but it had to be done never-the-less. "Ahem," she cleared her throat and stood up from her chair to get everybody's attention. The room quieted as all eyes turned on the thin redhead and she took a deep breath before continuing, "I have announcement to make." Her green eyes swept over the crowd of people she had come to love as her closest friends. She had spent the last seven years of her life with these people and it pained her heart to have to say goodbye. "I know this is very sudden and short notice, but I will not be leaving with you tomorrow morning. I have decided to stay here in the Hidden Leaf Village."

The the entire room went deadly silent as they took in her words then erupted in a commotion. Everybody was talking at once and it was nearly overwhelming. Suddenly Hiroshi stood up and pointed at Kakashi, "It's that man, isn't it?! We've all noticed how he sticks to you and follows you around and you don't bother to tell him to do otherwise."

"No, no, no!" Seyuri and Kakashi both put their hands up defensively denying the claim. "You have the wrong idea, our relationship isn't like...that," Seyuri blushed as she tried to explain the situation, "I actually plan on studying medicine here and becoming a doctor. I'm sorry that I didn't mention it before now, but I wasn't sure of what I was going to do until earlier today."

Seyuri looked around the room and found Tokiro unusually quiet and she called him over to her. "Tokiro, you will be staying here with me," she explained to the small boy, "I could never leave you behind. I'm sorry that this change came on so suddenly, but I think it will be good for us to settle down. You'll be able to go to school and make friends. It might be a little hard at first, but I'm sure you'll be very happy."

Tokiro looked up at her with tears in his honey colored eyes and nodded his head. "I thought you were going to leave me," he started crying and Seyuri wrapped her arms around his small body to comfort him.

"Never," she whispered against his hair, "It may not be by blood, but I think of you as my son and I would never abandon you. Never forget how much I love you." The boy sobbed into Seyuri's shoulder and she rubbed his back and continued to hold him until he calmed down.

"You know Sey-chan," Tokiro pulled away from her and wiped the tears from his eyes, "You're the best mom ever."

"You're too cute sometimes!" Seyuri exclaimed as she pulled him back in for a squeezing hug. His words filled her with emotion since he had never referred to her as his parent before and she thought she would die from happiness.

"You're squishing me..." Tokiro complained, pulling out of the hug. He gave her a smile before running off into the crowd.

Seyuri smiled smiled as she watched him go and stood up straight. She looked over the crowd and found that many people had accepted her explanation, but there were still a few who didn't. The main person being Hiroshi and he was headed her way. "I want a better explanation," he said as he got closer and grabbed her wrist. Seyuri let him pull her away from the crowd. Kakashi watched as Seyuri was pulled out of view and decided not to follow, he would give the two some privacy. He knew at this point that the two of them did not have the relationship he had originally thought, but he still knew that Hiroshi cared about her deeply.

Hiroshi led Seyuri to the upstairs hallway where it was quiet and there would be fewer interruptions. His deep blue eyes stared down at her intently before he spoke, "I never knew you wished to pursue medicine."

"Not medicine, per say, but I have always wanted to help others," Seyuri's green eyes held his as she spoke.

"I will stay here with you and Tokiro then," he stated, crossing his arms.

Seyuri blinked in surprise at this statement then slowly shook her head, "No, you should continue with the group. This is something that I decided on my own with a lot of thought. You should follow your own path."

Hiroshi sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair, "Seyuri, please, let me stay here with you. You are my path..."

"Hiroshi," she cut him off before he could continue any further, "I do not want you stay with me. I think it would be best if we both went our separate ways now, I will never return your feelings. This way you can find somebody else and find happiness with that person. I'm sorry, but this is how I feel and I won't change my mind." Seyuri watched the man in front of her and it hurt her to see how her words hurt him, but she had to make it clear to him that they would part ways. She also felt she needed to properly reject him in such a way for him to forget her and find somebody else. "Please respect my wishes Hiroshi," she said and bowed before turning and leaving the man alone in the hallway.

Seyuri made her way back downstairs with a heavy heart. Her eyes swept over the room and she sighed when she found a few members of her group surrounding Kakashi, more than likely questioning him about her decision. She made her way to the group and she could hear Ayame's voice and Kakashi looked very uncomfortable with the young woman's questions.

"Ayame, what are you doing?" Seyuri asked and Kakashi looked at her gratefully for the interruption.

"Surely, wanting to study medicine isn't the _only_ reason you're staying here," Ayame said as she turned to face Seyuri. Her cheeks were rosy from the drink she held in her hand and she smiled slyly at the redhead in front of her.

"I think you've had too much to drink," Seyuri said with a sigh, "I've already told you that Kakashi and I don't have that kind of relationship. I consider him a good friend, but nothing more. Isn't that right Kakashi?"

"Yes," Kakashi nodded his head in agreement, "I have no interest in her in such a way either."

"That's so boring..." Ayame huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "But, even if it's not with him, maybe you'll finally fall in love. If not, you should just become a nun."

Seyuri sighed exasperatedly and watched as Ayame walked off and the others laughed. "So should we call you Sister?" one of them asked Seyuri, "I could really see you becoming a nun."

"I have no intention on becoming a nun," Seyuri huffed and turned to the other two, "And if it's any of your business, I have had a boyfriend before."

"Ehhh, when?!" One of them asked incredulously.

"Before I started traveling in the caravan," Seyuri said matter-of-factly, "As though I would become a nun. Either way it doesn't matter."

The other two laughed and said goodbye to Kakashi before heading after Ayame. Seyuri turned towards him, "Sorry about that, they can be a bit difficult."

"I'd say," he sighed and turned back towards the bar and motioned to the barkeep for another drink, "Women are crazy."

Seyuri ordered a drink and raised an eyebrow as she took a seat next to him, "Now, now, one of those "crazy" women are sitting right next to you."

Kakashi smirked under his mask as he turned to face her, "I don't really worry too much about nuns."

"You really are a first class ass," Seyuri said as the barkeep brought her drink and Kakashi laughed at her response. "You know," she retorted to his laughter, "I won't come to your rescue the next time a bunch of people come over asking questions, you're on your own now."

"Guess I should make myself scarce then," Kakashi replied and he downed his drink, "You should spend this time with your friends anyways. I'll be around if anything happens, so don't worry."

She watched as the shinobi got up from his chair and made his way across the room before looking down at the drink in front of her. She downed the drink in one shot before smiling and turning to face the crowd. She would make great memories with her friends tonight, there was no room in her heart to be sad about the impending farewell tomorrow.

Seyuri and Ayame sat at a table talking animatedly in the nearly empty common room of the inn. Seyuri laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair as Ayame accidentally tipped half of her drink in her lap as they were talking. "I think you've had enough," Seyuri gasped after she had stopped laughing. Both of their cheeks were rosy from the alcohol they had consumed and Ayame looked as though she could barely sit up in her chair.

"I iiink yuuurr riiighh," Ayame slurred, "I on't know oww youu jink soo muuuch." Seyuri laughed as the woman sitting across from her swayed back and forth in her chair.

"It must be a redhead thing," Seyuri said, "You think you can make it up the stairs?"

Just as Ayame was about to reply a man approached the table, "I'll help her up to bed. Ayame, you're really going to regret this tomorrow."

"Hoooo-kun!" Ayame said as she turned to look at him and he caught her as she fell out of her chair. "I lub you soooo mush..." she wrapped her arms around him as he picked her up.

"You have your hands full," Seyuri laughed and took another sip of her drink, "Good night!" She watched as the two headed towards the stairs and smiled. They were perfect for each other and happy together. Her green eyes moved to sweep over the now empty room as she drained her glass and stood up. She headed to the bar and took a seat before ordering another drink.

"You really think another one is a good idea?" a voice to her right caused her to turn quickly and she lost her balance. Her eyes clenched shut as she waited for impact, but instead felt an arm wrap around her waist. "I really don't think you need another, you can't even sit in your chair..."

Her eyes opened and she looked at Kakashi's mostly hidden face as he steadied her on the stool. "I may not have fallen if some idiot hadn't sneaked up on me and scared me half to death," Seyuri retorted as she picked up the drink the barkeep had brought her, "Why can't you approach others like a normal person? I swear you do it on purpose."

"Well, I am a ninja. It's just part of what I do," Kakashi replied and the barkeep brought him drink as well, "Although, I do have to admit that your reactions are quite funny."

"You're also a jerk," Seyuri said earning her a chuckle from the silver haired shinobi next to her. "I thought you went to bed a while ago," Seyuri said after a few moments of silence, "You really didn't need to wait up for me."

"I told you I would keep watch," Kakashi said, "and you looked like you might like some company. Besides, it was quite interesting to see everybody make drunken fools of themselves."

Seyuri smiled and turned her head to look at him, "Many good memories were made to tonight. I think we can thank the alcohol for that." She laughed lightly as she turned back towards the bar and picked up her drink and the two sat in silence for a bit. She finished her glass and waved for the bartender to bring her another.

"You know," Kakashi started in a low voice, "I don't think drowning your sadness in alcohol will make it any easier."

Seyuri stared down into the glass she was holding in her hand and her voice came out as barely more than a whisper, "So, you saw through it...although the sadness didn't really hit me until I was alone. I guess you saw that too, since that was when you came out of hiding."

"I was expecting it to hit at some point," Kakashi said in a hushed voice, "It's not as though you made this decision entirely on your own. Though, I do think you made the right decision based on the situation."

"I think so too," Seyuri said as she felt a tear fall down her face, "but it still hurts regardless." She covered her face with her hands as the tears started to spill from her eyes and she held back the sobs that threatened to erupt from her throat.

Kakashi watched as the normally bright and cheerful woman next to him slowly started to fall apart. He knew it would be hard on her, but the sight of her small body shaking from her crying disturbed him more than he thought it would. She truly was a good person and she was about to completely flip her life around. She was leaving behind all of her friends and her family had been lost in tragedy. He knew what loneliness felt like so, without thinking, he turned and wrapped his arms around her, trying to console her.

Seyuri stiffened for a moment when she felt strong arms wrap around her before sinking into the feeling. She turned and leaned into Kakashi's chest as her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt. She let her tears fall freely and a sob escaped her lips as she took solace in his embrace. He held her silently and stroked her hair until her tears subsided and her breathing became more regular, although a little shaky. She sniffled a little before mumbling against his chest, "Thanks Kakashi, I guess you're not a jerk when it really matters."

Seyuri felt his chest rumble when he chuckled at her comment, "Friends are supposed to help each other. So, you will have to repay the favor someday."

She laughed and pulled herself out of his embrace and turned away from him, slightly embarrassed, as she wiped the tears from her face, "You know, when you do something nice for somebody you're not supposed to expect something in return."

"Well, I guess this one's on the house then," he replied. They sat in comfortable silence as they finished their drinks. "I think it's time for bed," he stated after he finished his glass and Seyuri set her empty glass on the bar.

"I agree," she got down from the stool she was on and she grabbed onto the bar to steady herself as the room started to spin. She closed her eyes to try and steady herself as she heard Kakashi chuckle next to her. "Shut up, I don't need your smart ass comments right now," she said before he could comment.

"Alright, I'll spare you," he said and wrapped an around her shoulder, "I'll help you up the stairs though. I don't think you'll make it to bed otherwise." She leaned against him and let him help her up the stairs grateful for the help, she had drank way more than she should have. He stopped in front of her door and she reached out for the nob as she swayed slightly on her feet. "Good night," he spoke quietly then headed down the hall towards his own room.

"Night..." she called after him quietly and let herself into the room. She made her way as quietly as she could to her bed and sleep overcame her quickly.

Seyuri groaned and covered her head with the blanket when she awoke the next morning. Her head was pounding from the amount of alcohol she had drank and the night before. She could hear the others around her getting ready and she slowly sat up, holding her head in her hands. She let her hands fall to her lap and she looked around the room to see Ayame in a similar state.

"That's what the two of you get for drinking like fish," one of the older women said with a laugh, "You better get a move on."

The two girls dragged themselves out of bed got their things together before heading towards the bath. They both felt better after cleaning up and soon the entire group was downstairs having breakfast. Seyuri saw Kakashi sitting at one of the tables and Ayame noticed her watching him. "You sure there isn't anything going on? You two were also the last ones up last night, did something happen?" Ayame teased.

Seyuri rolled her eyes at her comment. "No, nothing happened between us and we are only friends."

"Maybe you should try to be more than friends," Ayame suggested as they sat down at an empty table and ordered their breakfast, "Even though he covers his face you can tell he is probably gorgeous and he seems like a really great guy. You two get along really well."

"As friends," Seyuri said pointedly as a waitress set their plates in front of them, "I don't know why you are so adamant about me finding a man."

Ayame smiled at her, "Well, I guess I just want you to find happiness. Besides, the only relationship you've ever had ended in heartbreak. Not all men are like that, but you'll never find that out unless you meet somebody."

"I know all men aren't like that," Seyuri replied between bites of her breakfast, "It's just I haven't really found anybody that interests me in such a way. Besides, I'm happy as I am right now. I don't need somebody else to make my happiness for me, I can find my own happiness. Stop worrying about my love life and concentrate on your own, do you think he's going to ask for your hand in marriage?"

Ayame's face turned red as Seyuri turned the topic back on her, "I don't know, but we are happy enough as we are right now. And don't try to change the subject."

Seyuri laughed and set her fork down on her now empty plate, "If it will make you feel better I will go on a few dates once I'm settled in."

"I still think you should pursue that ninja that's been guiding our group," Ayame said and the two got up from the table and started to help get things packed up.

"I think I would rather not destroy our friendship," Seyuri said, "Besides, he's really the only person I know here..."

"Ah! So you thought about it," Ayame said excitedly.

"Thought about what?" a voice from behind the two made them jump.

"Stop doing that!" Seyuri exclaimed and turned around to face Kakashi.

"Like I said," Kakashi said with a closed eye smile, "I'm a ninja, it's what I do. So, what are you thinking about."

"Well, you see..." Ayame started and Seyuri elbowed her in the ribs.

"Nothing. This one is having hallucinations," Seyuri stated and noticed that Kakashi had a large bag hung over one shoulder, "That goes in this wagon. Here, I'll put it away for you."

"It's kind of heavy," he said unsure of whether he should give it to her or not, "I can put it away, it's not a big deal."

"Just give it to me," Seyuri stated as she climbed up the wagon and waited for Kakashi to hand her the bag. He held the bag out for her and was surprised when she took it and put it easily into it's place. "Don't be so surprised," she said catching his expression, "I have been doing this for years, obviously I'd get used to lifting heavy things."

"You really have no charm as a woman," Ayame said bluntly as Seyuri secured all of the wares in the wagon then climbed down.

"Nobody asked you," she retorted and smoothed out her dress. She looked around to see nearly everybody all set to go. "Looks like everything is just about set to go..." she commented as she saw Tokiro helping pack up the last wagon. He made his way over to her when he was done helping. "It's nearly time to see everybody off," Seyuri said to him when he reached her.

Soon enough they were headed towards the gate and the time seemed to speed up as they reached it all too soon. Everybody took turns saying goodbye and giving Tokiro and Seyuri hugs. Seyuri smiled and waved as the group departed and she held back her tears.

Tokiro stood waving next to her as small sobs escaped him. She bend down and pulled him into a tight hug to comfort him. "It's alright," her voice was soft and she rubbed his small back, "I'm sad too, but I know we'll see them again some day." She continued to hold him until he stopped crying and she stood up, taking his small hand in hers. Seyuri turned to Kakashi, "I guess we go see Lady Hokage now."


	5. Chapter 5 - A New Start

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

A/N: I know it's been a while and anybody who has been following probably thought there wasn't going to be anymore. I just had some crazy stuff going on, I hope you all enjoy. 

* * *

Seyuri, Tokiro, and Kakashi made their way through the village to see Tsunade after seeing their friends off. The walk was quiet and Seyuri took in a deep breath when they reached the Hokage's door before knocking.

"Enter," came Tsunade's voice and the three stepped into the room. "So this is the boy you were speaking of," Tsunade commented as Tokiro and Seyuri stood before Tsunade and Kakashi stood by the door. "I think you will really love it here," her voice softened a bit as she spoke to Tokiro, "You will have one week to get settled in. In one weeks time you will report to me here at 8:00 sharp to receive your work assignment." Tsunade turned her gaze to Seyuri as she gave her orders.

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Seyuri replied in response.

"Your things have already been moved from the inn to your new apartment. You will, no doubt, need some other necessities so we have given you an allowance to get started," Tsunade held an envelope out to Seyuri.

She shook her head as she looked at the envelope that Tsunade was offering her, "I appreciate the kind gesture, but I have saved enough money to get us by until I start working." Seyuri had always saved a good portion of her pay from her job as a merchant, only buying what was necessary for herself and Tokiro, in case of an emergency.

"Money smart, huh?" Tsunade said, "Fine, Kakashi, here is the address she will be staying at. Ms. Ishikawa, you can go anywhere in the village, but you are not to leave the village without an escort."

"Um," Kakashi said as he looked down at the paper Tsunade had handed him, "This is-"

"Is there a problem?" Tsunade asked.

"No, not at all," Kakashi said with a sigh and folded up the paper then turned towards Seyuri, "It seems like we'll be neighbors."

"I figured it would be safer for her to be near a shinobi. It just so happened to be that there was a vacancy in your building," Tsunade explained, "Kakashi, you will report here tomorrow morning for a new assignment and I will see you in a week Ms. Ishikawa. That is all, you are dismissed."

Having been dismissed, the three left the Hokage's office and made their way down into the village. Kakashi pointed out different shops as they made their way through town and Tokiro gazed around intently, trying to remember everything. Kakashi pointed out a larger building down the street, "Your apartment is in that building." They made their way to the building and entered. People greeted Kakashi as they passed, staring curiously at Seyuri and Tokiro.

"We'll be your new neighbors starting today," Seyuri said a bit shyly, "I'm Seyuri Ishikawa and this is Tokiro. It's very nice to meet you."

"I see," said one of the men, "You were with the merchants, so you decided to stay? This is a great place, I'm sure you'll like it." They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Kakashi cleared his throat impatiently. "I'm sure I'll see you around," the man said taking the hint and moving on.

Kakashi led them up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. "This is it," he said stopping in front of a door with the numbers 32B next to it. He pulled out the key Tsunade gave him and unlocked the door, swinging it open. "After you," Kakashi said stepping to the side, allowing Tokiro and Seyuri to enter first.

Seyuri stepped inside her new home and took a good look around. The door entered into a wide hallway and there was a small closet to the left. Further down the hall were 3 more doors on the right side and a large opening to the kitchen on the left side. Seyuri stepped in to the kitchen there was plenty of storage and counter space and a small eating area at the other end of the room. A large window poured sunlight on to a square table that was big enough to sit four. She headed back towards the hallway and opened the first door to find a bedroom. The second held a bathroom and the third held a slightly larger bedroom with a private bath. At the end of the hall was the living room. Sunlight filled the room and there was a small balcony with access from a sliding glass door on the right side of the room.

The apartment was furnished for the most part, but would still need bedding, dishes, toiletries, and food. "Well, I'll let you unpack," Kakashi said and headed back to the door. "If you need me I'm in 32A." He pointed to the door directly across the hall.

"Kakashi," Seyuri called and followed him, "Thank you. I know it was just a mission for you, but you helped me a lot. I hope we can be friends from this point forward." She smiled brightly and looked up at him hopefully.

Kakashi smiled back at her, "Of course we're friends. I'll see you around." He gave her a small wave and stepped out into the hallway, heading for his own apartment. Seyuri closed the door and looked around. She had been traveling for seven years and it felt odd to suddenly have a place called "home".

"Well, I guess we should start unpacking," Seyuri called out to Tokiro who was looking around their new place. They went back to the living room where their things had been dropped off. The two of them went through the items and put them away rather quickly. Tokiro told Seyuri about some friends he had made. She smiled softly as he talked excitedly about playing with them again.

It didn't take long to unpack, they had very few belongings. Tokiro sat in the living room playing with a few toys while Seyuri made a list of what things they would need. She counted out her money as well so she could budget accordingly. She took about a fourth of what she had saved and stored the rest in a lock box in her bedroom. "Tokiro!" Seyuri called, "We need to do some shopping now."

The young boy bounded towards her from the living room, excited to explore the village. The two left their home and headed down the street. "Let's stop here first," Seyuri pointed to a home goods store. It would be easier to get the big stuff out of the way first."

"Hello," the shop keeper greeted them as they entered, "What can I help you with today?" Seyuri explained her situation and she pulled out her list. They went over what she would need and walked around the shop picking things out. Tokiro was looking at things himself. He found some things he wanted for his room. This was the first time that he could remember having his own room and he was excited to make it how he wanted.

Seyuri was adding up her totals with the shop keeper and he gave her a great deal for purchasing so much at once. Her green eyes scanned the shop for Tokiro and she found him looking at a kids table lamp and other bedroom decor. "What are you looking at?" Seyuri asked as she approached Tokiro.

"N-nothing!" the boy stuttered and turned to face her startled. Seyuri looked at the price of the decor and cringed a little. The lamp was about all she could fit into the budget. "I don't really want it," Tokiro said, noticing her expression.

"Hmm," Seyuri thought for a moment before calling the shopkeeper over "I would like to purchase this lamp as well."

Tokiro's face lit up with a huge smile and he hugged Seyuri's legs, "Thank you!" She laughed and patted the boys head affectionately.

"We can have this delivered to you," the shopkeeper said as Seyuri paid the bill and inquired the cost of deliver. "It's free if you spend over a certain amount and you have hit that number. We can deliver it in about 3 hours at 2:00 PM if that's okay with you."

"That would work perfectly," Seyuri smiled, "I'll expect it around 2 then." Her and Tokiro left the shop and headed to the other shops they would need to go to. By the time they were done they had so many bags and boxes they could hardly carry them.

"Tokiro," Seyuri's strained voice floated from behind a mountain of boxes and bags, "We need to take a break."

"Let me help you with that," Seyuri heard a mans voice and a moment later half of the boxes were taken out of her arms. "I'm surprised to see you here though Ms. Ishikawa, I thought your group left this morning." Seyuri looked up and saw Kotetsu smiling at her.

"Thank you," she smiled back gratefully, "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," he replied, "Just lead the way."

"Okay," Seyuri started to walk off towards her new home. "I decided to stay here," she told Kotetsu, "The rest of the group left this morning. Tokiro and I just moved into a new apartment. We don't really have a lot in terms of home wares so we really needed to buy a lot. You came at the perfect time, I really don't think I could have gone much further."

"Like I said, it's not a problem at all," Kotetsu reassured her as they entered the apartment building. "Hey, I think Kakashi lives in this building too."

"Yeah," Tokiro said, "He lives right across the hall from us."

Seyuri led the way up the stairs and to her door. "It's here," she said and unlocked the door. "If you could put it on the table that would be great." She led him into the kitchen, "That was a huge help, thank you so much!"

"Anytime. Well, I have a few tings to do. I'm sure I'll see you around," Kotetsu said and left.

"I'm hungry," Tokiro said as he tugged lightly on Seyuri's dress.

"Me too," she replied and checked her watch, "Let's go get lunch. We still have some time before the delivery comes." The two headed out the door, meeting Kakashi in the hallway, he was talking with Kotetsu.

"Yeah," Kotetsu was saying to Kakashi, "I met her on the street carrying a bunch of heavy bags and boxes, so I brought them up for her."

"Seyuri," Kakashi said as he and Tokiro entered the hallway, "I hear you're getting all settled in."

"Yes," Seyuri replied,"We were going to go get lunch now. Would you like to join us?" Tokiro's stomach rumbled with hunger and she laughed.

"Well, I do know a good place near here," re replied, "I'll see you later Kotetsu. I was just thinking about going to get something to eat myself."

Together the three of them left the building. "Kakashi, guess what?" Tokiro pulled on Kakashi's sleeve excitedly, "Sey-chan got me my own special lamp for my room. You should see it, it's so cool!" Tokiro began excitedly telling Kakashi about the new things he got for his room.

"That sound really great," Kakashi told the boy with a smile then turned towards Seyuri, "Seems like you got quite a lot done this morning. Did you carry everything back yourself?"

"Heavens no!" Seyuri said with a small laugh, "Most of it will be delivered around 2:00. I still need to go get groceries though and unpack everything we bought."

"I see," Kakashi said, "I'm free for the rest of the afternoon, so I can help if you'd like. This is the place." Kakashi stopped in front of a small diner before leading the way in and taking a seat at a table.

"Are you sure?" Seyuri asked, "I don't want to trouble you. I'm sure it wasn't any fun following me around this past week." They looked at the menus and ordered their food.

"If I thought it was a bother I wouldn't have offered," Kakashi said lightly, "Besides, I thought we were friends now."

"Of course we're friends," Seyuri said hurriedly.

"And friends help each other," Kakashi stated, "Unless you don't want my help..."

"No, that's not-," Seyuri was flustered and Kakashi laughed. She scowled at him when she realized she played right into his trap. "You're awful," she muttered, "I would like it if you helped."

"That's better," Kakashi said with a small chuckle. A few minutes later their food was served. They talked and joked as they ate their meal. When they were finished their meal Kakashi paid for Seyuri and Tokiro's as well. "You can treat me another time," he said when she started to protest.

By the time they made it back home there was about half an hour before the rest of Seyuri's things would be delivered. "Let's get this other stuff put away now," she said and led the way to the kitchen. They sorted out all of the items and found places for them. There was a knock on the door just as they were finishing up.

Seyuri answered the door to find a few men with boxes. "Delivery for Ms. Ishikawa," one of them said and she showed them where they could set the boxes. She noticed they were each labeled with what was inside and they were sorted by room. They stacked all of the boxes in the living room.

"Just how much did you buy?" Kakashi asked, looking at all of the boxes after the delivery men left. There were about 15 boxes stacked in the living room. "At least they packed them by room," he picked up a box labeled kitchen and brought it there.

Seyuri followed Kakashi with another box while Tokiro took care of the ones for his room. "Thanks for helping," she smiled sincerely as she opened one of the boxes. She placed all of the dishes on the counter by the sink to be washed.

The two worked together sorting out the boxes by room and putting things away. They laughed and talked while they completed their tasks making it a bit more enjoyable. Seyuri went to check on Tokiro when they were finished and found him sleeping in his newly decorated room. "It's been a long day," Seyuri said, "I'll let him sleep while I go out to get groceries. I could use a little more help with that if you're up for it. I'll even cook you dinner when we get back."

"You're a slave driver," Kakashi said teasingly, "But dinner sounds good, so I guess I'll help."

"I'll just write a note for Tokiro," Seyuri said grabbing a pen and paper, "In case he wakes up, I don't want him to get scared." The two left the apartment a short while later. Seyuri yawned and stretched her arms over her head. "It's been a really busy day. I'll sleep great tonight. Is there anything in particular you like to eat? You've helped me out so much, it's the least I can do." She turned to Kakashi with a look of sincere appreciation and a small smile on her face.

Kakashi smiled at her, his onyx eye catching her emerald ones. "What I like..." he said thoughtfully, "Hmm, I really like fried pork cutlets and fried noodles."

"That sounds like a great dinner," she beamed at him as they entered the market. They got the things they would need for dinner and a few more necessities for the morning. They left the grocery store and Seyuri frowned as she looked over at Kakashi carrying the bulk of their trip, "I can take a few more bags," she suggested.

"No, it's fine," Kakashi said a bit strained from behind all of the bags, "You're carrying enough already."

"But it's not heavy at all," she insisted looking down at the two bags she was carrying, "I've only got the eggs and bread." She reached over and grabbed a few more of the bags, "I can handle at least this much more."

"You're really stubborn, you know that?" Kakashi teased as he glanced over at her.

"You really haven't seen anything yet," they both laughed. When they got back home Tokiro was awake when they walked through the door. "Tokiro, give us a hand please."

They quickly put the groceries away and Seyuri started making dinner. Tokiro went to play in his room and Kakashi sat at the table. "Would you like some juice?" she called to the ninja as she put the lid on a pot on the stove. Seyuri reached up into a cupboard and grabbed 2 glasses down. As she turned to get the juice out of the fridge she bumped into Kakashi, the bottle of juice in his hand. She lost her balance and started falling backwards, Kakashi wrapped his free arm around her waist to steady her.

Seyuri gasped as she was suddenly pulled against Kakashi's chest and her green eyes shot upwards to meet his onyx one. They stared at each other a moment before they both took a step back away from each other in embarrassment. Seyuri looked around the room and noticed the bottle of juice in his hand. "Thanks," she said, trying to get past the awkward atmosphere and gestured towards the juice.

"Ah, no problem," Kakashi replied taking the glasses from her. Seyuri turned back towards the stove, her face still pink. He poured them both drinks and took his juice back to the table to sit down. He watched as the small redhead moved around the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she prepared their meal. He couldn't help but notice the small smile on her lips as she hummed.

'What am I doing?' Kakashi suddenly thought to himself with a small shake of his head. Any other time he would have been more than happy to sit alone in a tree reading his favorite book and ignoring those around him. So, why was he content to sit here and watch this woman cook?

"Just about done," he heard Seyuri say as she lifted the lid to the pot on the stove and gave it a sniff, "It smells amazing, I hope it tasted good too!" She busied herself grabbing plates from the cupboard and yelled to Tokiro, "Dinner is just about ready!"

"It smells really good Sey-chan," Tokiro said as he entered the kitchen and headed towards the table, "What is it?"

"Fried pork cutlets, noodles, and steamed vegetables" she replied as she set the table. When all the food was on the table and everybody had a plate in front of them Seyuri sat down across from Kakashi. They immediately started piling food on their plates.

"This is really good!" Tokiro exclaimed through a mouthful.

Kakashi nodded his head in agreement, "Definitely worth carrying all those groceries."

Seyuri laughed a little and took a bite. "Mm, so good," she said, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. "You start a new mission tomorrow, right Kakashi?" she asked looking up at the silvered haired man across from her.

"Yeah," he replied looking back at her.

"We'll both be pretty busy from now on," she continued, "I mean, you'll have missions and I need to work hard to keep my promise to Lady Hokage."

"Yeah," Kakashi said then smiled, "But we'll still see each other, I live right across the hall." He then turned towards Tokiro, "What are you planning to do?"

"Me?" Tokiro replied a little confused.

"You are in a ninja village. What do you want to do when you get older? Most children start thinking about going to the Academy to be a ninja around your age," Kakashi explained.

"I didn't think I could," the small boy looked at Kakashi with hope in his eyes,"I don't know if I'll be any good though. I've never trained or anything..."

"Well, it's never too late to start," Kakashi said encouragingly, "As long as you work hard you'll catch up in no time."

Tokiro turned his honey colored eyes towards Seyuri. "I'll inquire about it tomorrow," she said with a smile and a huge grin spread across his face.

When the three finished dinner Tokiro went to take his bath while Seyuri and Kakashi cleaned up. Seyuri was putting the left overs away as Kakashi was clearing the table. As she turned to move towards the sink the two bumped into each other again in the small space between the counter and the fridge. Kakashi's hands caught Seyuri around her waist as she grabbed onto his upper arms to steady herself. "Oh!" she said softly in surprise, her fingers gripping firm muscles.

Kakashi looked down at the small redhead in his arms. He could feel how her fingers gently squeezed his biceps and how her long silky hair brushed against his hands at her waist. Seyuri slowly lifted her gaze up to meet his and her heart thumped as they made eye contact. She could feel her face grow warm as she realized how close they were.

He felt her hands gently pushing against him as she averted her gaze downwards. Kakashi took a step back, unwrapping his arms from around her waist. "Sorry," he said, his own cheeks starting to redden, "It's getting late, I should probably get going now. You're probably tired as well."

"Ah, yes," she replied, the atmosphere was awkward and tense. Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment. "Um," she stepped past him and took a container out of the fridge, "This is for you, I really made too much. You can just return the container when you're done with it."

"Thanks, it will make a great lunch for tomorrow," Kakashi said with a small smile, the awkwardness lessening as they headed towards the door. "I guess I'll see you around. Thanks for dinner."

"No problem," Seyuri smiled brilliantly up at him, "You really helped me a lot, so it's the least I could do. See you around, good night."

"Yeah," Kakashi said as he stepped out into the hallway and turned to face her, "Good night."

She smiled at him and nodded before closing the door. Kakashi stared at the door for a moment before turning towards his own apartment. "Hey," Kakashi heard a familiar voice, "Where have you been all day? I heard you got yourself a new lady, I never would have thought it was true though. Especially with that one, she's not the kind you typically go for."

"It's not like that," Kakashi said with a sigh and spotted Gai a short ways down the hall. "I was assigned as her bodyguard, that's all there is to it." He unlocked the door to his own apartment and Gai followed him in.

"Yes, but today was a day off for you," Gai stated and followed Kakashi into the kitchen. "That mission ended yesterday. Perhaps the hot Spring of Youth has finally come to you Kakashi!" The bushy browed ninja pointed at the masked ninja enthusiastically.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head in exasperation as he grabbed a beer out of the fridge and his book off the counter. "I helped my neighbor move in. The "hot Spring of Youth" you're babbling on about has nothing to do with it. She is simply a friend, nothing more," Kakashi said as he walked past the ninja and to the living room, "Now, if you don't mind, I have some reading to do." The spiky haired ninja laid back on the couch and opened his favorite book.

"You're wrong," Gai said as he sat down in a chair, "Before you know it you'll be hearing wedding bells." Kakashi shot Gai an unimpressed look from the couch, causing Gai to laugh. "I can tell these kinds of things. Now, how about some BBQ with your number one rival?"

Kakashi rolled on the couch, turning his back to Gai. "I already had dinner," he said, waiting for another of Gai's off-the-wall comments.

"So, she's a good cook," Gai said thoughtfully, "Well you know what they say, 'The best way to a mans heart is through his stomach.'"

"Gai," Kakashi said quietly as he sat up on the couch, "Get out."

Gai stood up and laughed as he made his way to the front door. "Well, I'll see you around then. Just don't forget to send me a wedding invitation," Gai made one last comment before the door closed behind him.

Kakashi picked his book back up, his eyes scanning the pages. After a bit he sighed and tossed the book on the coffee table, unable to concentrate on it. The silver haired ninja headed to his bedroom, unzipping his vest as he went. He walked right through the room and straight into the bathroom. He turned the shower on and discarded his clothing in a basket by the sink. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked at his face, one onyx and one red eye stared back at him; there was a vertical scar across his left, red eye. He had a straight nose and a strong jaw. Most considered his face handsome, well the few who had seen it anyway. Well defined muscle covered his chest and abdomen. He looked at his arms in the mirror and unconsciously thought of how Seyuri's fingers had held onto him earlier.

He growled in frustration at the thought and turned away from the mirror. He got into the shower, the hot water relaxing him. 'It's been a while since my last fling,' he thought to himself, 'That must be the problem.' He closed his eyes and let the water pour over him before finishing washing himself and turning it off. He put a clean mask and some boxer shorts on.

"Ten already," he muttered to himself as he looked at the clock next to his bed, "Only god knows what kind of mission she's going to send me on tomorrow." He turned his lights off and went to bed.

* * *

Seyuri closed the door behind Kakashi and turned around. "You okay?" Tokiro asked as he exited the bathroom, his hair still damp, "Your face is all red."

"Oh, I'm fine," Seyuri said walking up to the small boy, "Come help me with the dishes before bed." The two did the dishes in silence, digesting the many events of the day. "Bed time, "Seyuri told the boy when they were finished. She tucked him in bed and kissed his forehead, "Sweet dreams, I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight," Tokiro smiled at her sleepily.

Seyuri quietly left the boys room and made her way to her own. She gathered up some clean clothes and headed to the bath. She discarded her clothes and stepped into the hot shower. A soft sigh escaped Seyuri's lips as the hot water soothed her sore muscles. She thought about the events of the day as she washed herself. 'It's only because I've never been so close to a man,' she told herself as she remembered the feeling of Kakashi's arms around her. She finished her shower and got dressed, pushing the thought from her mind. She crawled into bed exhausted and fell asleep shortly after.


	6. Chapter 6 - Training

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

The following week quickly flew by. Seyuri had enrolled Tokiro in the Academy and familiarized herself with the village. She had also met a lot of people and felt very comfortable with her new home. She had only seen Kakashi once since he had been sent out on a mission with Team 7.

"Your bento is on the counter," Seyuri called out to Tokiro as she put her shoes on, "Don't be late. I need to meet Lady Hokage this morning." She ruffled the boys hair and smiled at him. "I'll see you later," she said.

"See you later!" he said as Seyuri headed out the door.

She made her way through the village, it was still quiet this time of morning. Before she knew it she was standing in front of Tsunade's door and she lifted her hand up nervously and knocked. "Enter," Tsunade's voice rang from the other side. Seyuri opened the door and stepped inside. "Good morning," Tsunade greeted her, "I have heard you are adjusting quite well, have a seat."

Seyuri sat in front of Tsunade's desk. "Yes, the people here are all very kind and helpful," she responded, "I look forward to living here."

"Good," Tsunade said and got right to the point, "Before I can really decide what to do with you I need to evaluate your skills. You're not a ninja so you won't have missions, but I can find a use for you as a civilian."

The two discussed many different possibilities and Tsunade evaluated Seyuri's use of medical ninjutsu. "I'm sorry," Seyuri said after a while, "But I've never really been trained in this before."

"Then we'll start there," Tsunade replied. "Three days a week you will train with Shizune. In your down time you will work as a medical assistant at the hospital. Shizune, I leave the rest to you."

Shizune nodded and had Seyuri follow her out of the room. "Today," she said as they started down the stairs, "I'm just going to test you and show you a few things." They stopped at a room on the first floor. Shizune first tested Seyuri's chakra control and showed her some medical ninjutsu. "That's great," Shizune told her, "But I don't understand what you're doing. Your chakra is strange." Shizune observed the redhead work and was surprised by how quickly Seyuri progressed.

When they broke for lunch Tsunade came to check their progress. "She's naturally talented," Shizune told her, "But her chakra...it's strange, I can't figure it out."

"Is that so?" Tsunade looked thoughtful for a moment, "Call Neji here, perhaps he can see something we can't."

"Yes, milady," Shizune said and hurried off.

Tsunade turned towards Seyuri, "Show me what you've learned today."

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Seyuri nodded and stood up. She proceeded to show Tsunade the various things Shizune had taught her.

"Impressive," Tsunade said, "Especially for one with no training." Shortly after, Shizune entered the room and a young ninja followed her in. "Ms. Ishikawa, this is Neji Hyuga. He possesses a visual kekkai genkai that I want him to use to assess your chakra. Your chakra is different from mine and Shizune's, this might just unlock the secrets of the Takahashi's abilities. Neji please use your byakkugan on Seyuri."

"Yes," Neji said as he took a step towards Seyuri, "Byakkugan!" He watched her and after a while a confused expression covered his face.

"What do you see?" Tsunade asked.

"It's strange," Neji replied, "I've never seen anything like it before. Her chakra almost seems unstable, but there's so much. It's like she could explode. But at the same time, it's not all her own chakra. She's also pulling in chakra at all times and it seems to be stabilizing her own. It's hard to explain, I don't' even know if I really understand it."

"From what you've just told me it seems like Sage Jutsu, in a sense," Tsunade exclaimed, "And that really would explain a lot of the Takahashi's power. Now, Seyuri, perform a medical ninjutsu on that fish. Neji, tell me what you see."

Seyuri did as she was asked, Neji watching closely. "It looks like she is using the chakra she is pulling in to control her own chakra," Neji said, "But there is something else going on. It's like she is using the chakra like a scope and pin pointing the injuries to heal them. But at the same time the fishes own chakra is increasing and aiding in the process. I'm not sure how she is doing it though. The chakra in her body is moving so fast I can't follow it and she is pulling in a lot more chakra than before. Unless she strengthens her body, she won't be able to withstand doing this on a regular basis."

"I see," Tsunade said thinking hard on what Neji just told her, "What she can do is absolutely incredible. Just her diagnostic skills alone are better than anything we have now. With even more training she would be able to save more than I ever could. Neji, thank you for your help, you may go now."

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Neji bowed his head and left the room.

"Shizune, we are going to change her course of training a little. She is to study medical knowledge everyday, get practical practice two days a week, and get physical training for at least an our every day. As she becomes more competent in her studies her practical time will increase while her studies will decrease," Tsunade said with a smile, "Ms. Ishikawa, I believe you will prove to be a very valuable asset to this village."

"You do not need to address me so formally, Lady Hokage," Seyuri said and looked at Tsunade with determination, "Even though I need to depend on you right now, I will work hard so that someday you can depend on me too."

"Even tough you're not a shinobi you still have the spirit of fire in you," Tsunade said, "I look forward to seeing what you can accomplish. Shizune, bring her upstairs and start with studying my medical books. We will teach her jutsu as well but, her chakra works differently. As long as she has the knowledge she'll be able to do what needs to be done."

"Yes milady," Shizune said and Seyuri followed her out of the room. Shizune poured over medical knowledge with Seyuri in the Hokage's office. Tsunade worked at her desk as the other two worked at a table on the other side of the room. A knock on the door and Tsunade's voice suddenly broke Seyuri's concentration.

"Oh," Shizune said looking up at the clock, "I didn't realize it was so late. We'll start physical training tomorrow so be sure to bring a change of clothes."

"Yes Ms. Shizune," Seyuri said stretching. She was gathering up her notes when Team 7 walked into the room. Seyuri put her notes in her bag and stood up to leave glancing at the group of shinobi as she did.

"There's no need for the Ms.," Shizune said with a small laugh, "We'll be spending a lot of time together in the future, so please just call me Shizune.

Seyuri nodded at Shizune as Tsunade called out to her, "Be here at the same time tomorrow Seyuri." Her eyes then moved from Seyuri to the group of ninja in front of her. Seyuri also found her green eyes wandering over to the group, they all looked a bit rough, but seemed happy none-the-less. She gave them a small wave as she left the room so they could report on their mission.

"Looks like I'll need to pick up some clothes for training in," Seyuri said to herself as she pulled her wallet out. She made her way to a clothing store. She picked out a pair of long leggings, a racer back tank, a jacket, and a pair of sneakers. A huge sigh escaped her lips as she exited the store.

"Anything wrong?" a familiar voice said from her right.

Seyuri jumped and whipped her head, her hair swinging from the force, to see Kakashi standing next to her. "You startled to me!" she exclaimed and looked up at him before turning to start home, Kakashi falling into step beside her. "I take it your mission went well?"

"Yep," Kakashi replied, "How was your first week here at the village? I take it you are training with Shizune since you were with her in the Hokage's office." 

"Our first week was great," she replied, "It is hard to get used to staying in one spot though." She turned her head and shot him a small smile, "I'm also training to become a doctor and I start physical training tomorrow."

"I see," Kakashi said and opened the door as they reached their building, "But why would a doctor need physical training?"

"It's something about the way my chakra works," Seyuri said as she headed up the stairs, "Besides, considering my circumstances it definitely won't hurt me to learn some self defense."

The two were almost at the top of the stairs when they heard a loud voice from behind them, "Ah-ha! I knew it, didn't I tell you my rival? You couldn't resist the "hot Spring of Youth" and rushed to her side right after you returned from your mission."

"Mr. Gai, what are you talking about?" Seyuri asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Don't encourage his insanity," Kakashi warned her, "Let's go." He started walking up the stairs without a word to Gai, Seyuri following a step behind.

"Don't ignore me," Gai said running up the stairs after them, "You two can't run from it forever, your 'hot Spring' time is right in front of you!"

"Well, I'll see you later," Kakashi said to Seyuri as they reached her door, "You know where I am if you need me. Don't worry, I'll take care of the idiot following us."

She laughed and waved at him, "See you later." Just as she was about to reach for the door it swung open.

"You're late!" Tokiro exclaimed, looking up at her, then noticed Kakashi behind her. "Kakashi, you're back!" the boy ran past Seyuri to the silver haired ninja, "Guess what? I started going to the Academy and I'm learning lots of cool ninja stuff. Today I did the best at throwing shuriken!"

"That sounds great. You'll have to show me some time," Kakashi knelt down and ruffled the small boys hair. Tokiro smiled proudly up at him, he had to admit the boy had grown on him.

"Um, what are you doing Gai-sensei?" Tokiro asked noticing Gai a little ways down the hall. He had a dumbfounded look on his face as his eyes shot back and forth between the three of them.

"Who would have thought," Gai said dramatically as he stood up, tears streaming down his face, "that you would make such a good family man?" Gai walked up to Kakashi, "You've one-upped me again my rival."

Seyuri and Tokiro looked at Gai confused while Kakashi gave him an exasperated look. "You're weird Gai-sensei. Come on Sey-chan, you shouldn't be around weird men like that, you don't know what they'll do." Tokiro grabbed Seyuri's hand and started pulling her in their apartment.

Seyuri laughed and waved at the two shinobi in the hall, "Goodnight!" The door closed behind her and she proceeded to take her shoes off,"How about a stir fry tonight?" Seyuri asked as she brought her bags to her room.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Tokiro said as he sat at the table. There were books and papers spread about. "I'm going to study until it's done," the boys honey eyes were already scanning his notes.

Seyuri smiled softly at the boy then turned to the fridge. "Hmm," she said pulling out the ingredients, "I don't think I have enough butter. I'll be right back." Tokiro nodded and Seyuri put her shoes on and opened the door. There she saw a strange sight, Gai was trying to crawl into Kakashi's apartment and Kakashi had his foot on Gai's head to stop him. "Pfft!" Seyuri covered her mouth, but she couldn't help herself as her laughter filled the hall, "What are you doing?" She laughed even harder when the two both looked at her like deer caught in the headlights.

"You see Seyuri, I'm just trying to help this guy. He's having relationship trouble and he won't listen to my advise," Gai explained as he got to his feet.

"I'm not having any trouble and I don't need your advise," Kakashi said irritated.

"I didn't know you have a girlfriend Kakashi," Seyuri said curiously, "What does she look like? I bet she's really pretty, do you have a picture?"

"Oh, she's pretty alright," Gai said with a smile, "Kakashi absolutely loves-oof!"

"Like I said before," Kakashi said dangerously calm, his fist over Gai's head, "I do not have a girlfriend and I am NOT having any trouble."

"S-sorry!" Seyuri said hurriedly, "I just thought-"

"It's alright," Kakashi said as he kicked Gai to the side, "It's this idiots fault for spouting nonsense. Did you need something?"

She shook her head, her long red hair swaying behind her, "No, I was just heading to the store for some butter."

"Oh, wait here," Kakashi disappeared into his apartment, appearing a moment later with a stick of butter in his hand. "Is this enough?" he asked, stepping over Gai and into the hallway.

"More than enough," Seyuri said as she started looking through her bag for money.

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi said.

"Are you sure?" Seyuri asked looking up at him, "I'm making a stir fry if you'd like some."

"No, that's okay. I plan on going out after. I just need to get rid of this idiot so I can take a shower and get ready," Kakashi nudged Gai with his foot. "Well, see ya," he stepped over Gai and back into his apartment, closing the door behind him.

Kakashi stepped out of his bedroom, freshly showered and clothed to find Gai sitting in his living room. "So, where are we going tonight?" he asked Kakashi.

"I," Kakashi said, "am going out to have a few drinks. I don't know what you're doing." He grabbed his wallet off the counter and started putting his shoes on.

"I think a few drinks with the guys is long over due," Gai said getting up and following Kakashi to the door.

Kakashi sighed as he opened the door, "So much for a quiet night..."

"Come now, my rival," Gai said as they stepped out into the hallway, "Let's have some fun tonight."

A few hours later the two of them were sitting round a table with a few other ninja laughing and talking. Gai drained his glass and suddenly stood up. "I think I need another," he slurred and made his way to the bar. When he came back he had two glasses, "I also got one for my rival."

Gai set the glass down in front of Kakashi. "I'm not sure why," Kakashi said as he picked the cup up, "but I think you're trying to get me drunk."

"Well," Gai said staring at Kakashi,"people tend to talk a little more when they've had a few and you have quite a bit of talking to do." At this the others around the table looked curiously at Kakashi. "You're going to spill it about what's happening between you and our favorite red haired doctor-in-training."

"Whoa!" one of them exclaimed looking between Gai and Kakashi, "She's only been here a week and you just came back from a mission. You move fast man. Not that I blame you though, she is a cutie. I didn't think she was the kind you're interested in though."

"There's nothing to tell," Kakashi sighed exasperatedly and took a swig of his drink, "She's my neighbor, nothing more. Besides, like you said, does she really look like the type I usually go for? No, I like them curvy and well, you know...Seyuri's the kind you settle down with and have a family with. Not really what I want."

"I still don't believe you," Gai said, "If she was just your neighbor you wouldn't be having dinner with her and walking her home. Hell, her kid even likes you. I saw it all with my own eyes."

"Wow," one of the ninja said with a chuckle, "No wonder Gai thinks somethings going on. You usually avoid her type like the plague, but it seems like you're actually kind of close to her. Are your values changing a little bit? Getting ready to settle down maybe?"

"Not you too..." Kakashi groaned and downed the rest of his drink, "I had dinner with her because she was thanking me for helping her move in. I met her on the road on my way back home, that's why we walked home together. Her kid, which isn't really hers by the way, was just excited to tell anybody about his day at school. I'll admit she's attractive, but not in the way I prefer. I don't have any special 'feelings' or whatever you're thinking and neither does she. I consider her a good friend and that's it."

"I think you're over thinking this one Gai," one of the ninjas said after a minute, "Kakashi's right, he usually goes for the ones that are all looks, no brains, and won't last longer than a week. And on that note, do you think you could introduce me to her?"

"Introduce yourself," Kakashi said leaning back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling. "Well, now that we've squashed all the rumors I think I'm going to head home. I'll see you guys later."

"What a party pooper," Gai said as Kakashi stood up and started walking away from the table, raising a hand goodbye as he went.

Kakashi made his way home slowly, thinking about everybody's curiosity. Even he had to admit his behavior with Seyuri was strange compared to his interactions with other women. He chalked it up to her being one of the few women who didn't try to get his attention romantically. He sighed when he found himself in front of his door. He turned and glanced at hers before unlocking his and heading in for the night.

The next day Kakashi spent most of the day nursing a hangover. He spent the time simply lounging about and reading his favorite book. In the afternoon his stomach started to growl and he sighed when he opened the fridge only to find spoiled milk. He got dressed and headed out the door in search of food. He filled himself at Ichiroku Ramen and started his way back home.

On the way he noticed a group of ninja gathered by the edge of one of the training fields and one called out to him. It was Kenta, one of the ninja he had drinks with last night. He was about to ask what was going on when he heard Shizune's voice call out, "Keep going, don't stop!"

Kakashi made his way to the group and peered out over the training field. His vision focused on what the others were watching. Shizune was instructing Seyuri on various different exercises and techniques. Her long hair was pulled back in a bun and sweat dripped down her neck. She was wearing ankle length leggings and a dark green racer back tank that clung to her like a second skin.. Her chest was heaving from the exertion, but her emerald eyes still held determination. Kakashi watched as Shizune put Seyuri through the wringer, usually a novice would start out quite a bit easier than this. "I didn't expect to see her out on the training field," Kenta said quietly, "Why would a doctor need to train like this?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders in response to the question. Seyuri's true identity was a secret from most and should stay that way. "Maybe she plans on become a medical ninja," he said when the man looked at him. He watched for a few more seconds longer as Shizune pushed Seyuri even harder. Surprisingly, she was able to keep up, but it was clear that she was close to reaching her limit and when Shizune ended the session the small redhead collapsed on the ground.

"Shizune," she gasped through breaths, "You're...a...demon..."

"I guess I may have taken it a little too far," Shizune said sheepishly, "But, you're actually quite skilled, a natural really. You have great stamina, but we'll need to work a bit more on your strength and agility."

"I still think you're trying to kill me," Seyuri grumbled as she sat up.

"Don't exaggerate," she replied and held her hand out to help Seyuri up. Seyuri stretched her sore muscles and groaned. The two headed off the field and Shizune instructed Seyuri, "Tomorrow we will meet at the Hokage's office like usually and in the late morning we will head to the hospital to work in the clinic. Don't worry, we won't take on anything too difficult, just minor injuries and illnesses. See you in the morning."

"Okay, see you in the morning," the two parted ways and Seyuri started her walk home. She was just about to turn a corner when she heard somebody call out to her. She turned around to see three men approaching her, all of them wearing ninja gear and one of them Kakashi. "Hello," she greeted them with a smile.

"We noticed you training with Shizune," one of the ninjas said that Seyuri didn't recognize, "She was really making you work hard."

She laughed, "Yeah, she's like a demon, I probably won't be able to move tomorrow. I still have a long ways to go though." 

"Well, if you keep going like that you'll meet your goal in no time," the ninja replied and introduced himself, "I'm Kenta by the way."

Seyuri smiled and introduced herself as well, "I'm Seyuri, it's nice to meet you."

"I have to admit though," he said a little shyly, "I am curious as to why a doctor would need to do such training."

Seyuri studied the man in front of her for a moment. He had short, spiky light brown hair and dark chocolate colored eyes. He was a few inches taller than her and shorter than Kakashi and their friend. "Well," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "There may come a time when I am needed on the field. I'm really just trying to keep my options open."

"I see," Kenta said, seeming to accept her answer without suspicion. Kakashi watched the exchange silently, relieved that Kenta had accepted her answer. It would be a problem if her true identity became public knowledge. "I know," Kenta said with a smile, "How about I treat you to dinner? You must be exhausted after Shizune's lessons. A good meal will help you perk right up."

Kakashi stiffened slightly at the sudden proposition from Kenta. His onyx eye stayed locked onto Seyuri as she gave him a reply, "I'm afraid I'll have to pass. Tokiro will be getting home from school soon and I need to make dinner for him anyways. Thank you though, maybe some other time." Kakashi felt his body relax as he heard her reject him then felt troubled at the thought of them going out at a later date.

"Ah, okay," Kenta said a little disappointed, "I guess I'll have to hold you to that rain check. You seem really interesting and I would like to get to know you a little better."

"Okay," she said looking at him and light blush spreading across her cheeks as she realized his intentions. "Well, I better get headed home. Kakashi, are you headed that way too?" She moved her gaze to the tall ninja.

"Yeah, I'll walk you home," he replied and stepped forward away from the other two. He turned and gave them a wave before taking his place next to the slim redhead as they started the walk back. When they turned the corner and the others were out of ear shot he commented, "Looks like you have a date."

Seyuri nearly tripped over her own feet and she looked up at Kakashi with a troubled expression on her face. "That wasn't my intention," she sighed after she recovered, "I'm really bad with those kinds of things."

"Well, the way he did it made it kind of hard to refuse," Kakashi replied, "But, I don't see anything wrong with going out on one date, you might even like him." His words contradicted the emotions that flickered inside him. He felt relieved she planned on rejecting him, but he was frustrated that he felt that way. He glanced sideways at the woman walking next to him, she still had a troubled expression on her face.

"I don't have any time for a romance right now," she said after a minute. He could tell that wasn't all she wanted to say and he waited patiently for her to continue. "I mean," she started after a moment in a soft, low voice, "my situation is precarious at best. To get somebody wrapped up in my problems is dangerous and selfish. I constantly worry about Tokiro as it is. What if something happened to him because of me? I wouldn't even be able to protect him as I am now. Just the thought makes me..."

Kakashi glanced over at Seyuri when her voice trailed off and he wasn't prepared for the look of pain on her face. She was always so confident and optimistic, he had no idea she had been thinking about those things. The situation made him a bit uncomfortable and he didn't know how to approach her. "Sorry," she said after a few moments of silence and they approached their building, "I didn't mean to unload on you like that."

"No, it's okay," he said and opened the door for her, "I can understand how you feel. I also feel that way about relationships, although for other reasons." She looked at him curiously, but didn't ask about it.

They made their way up the stairs and when they reached their doors she turned to him, "Would you like to come in for some tea?" He nodded and she unlocked the door, letting them both in. He took a seat at the table as she prepared the tea, neither of them talking.

The silence was awkward and Seyuri was relieved when Kakashi asked, "How is your training going?"

"Well, it's only my second day," she replied as she took two cups from the cupboard, "There is so much that I need to learn, it's almost overwhelming. I really enjoy studying medicine and I'm excited to start practical application. Tomorrow Shizune and I will start working in the clinic. Today was my first day of physical training. I'm afraid my body won't be able to keep up if Shizune pushes me like that everyday though. Everything hurts and I'm exhausted."

Kakashi chuckled at her last statement, "She really was going hard on you, especially for a beginner. Your body does get used to it after a while though. I was really surprised at how well you were doing, you're kind of a natural. Just take things one step at a time and everything will fall into place at the end."

"That's my plan," Seyuri smiled as she set his cup in front of him and took a seat across from him at the table, "I certainly won't give up."

"I didn't think you would," he smiled back at her, "I've noticed you're pretty stubborn. Oh, I have a favor to ask you. Could you get my mail for me while I'm gone?" He pulled a ring with two keys out of his pocket and handed it to her, "I'll be heading out on another mission tomorrow and Lady Tsunade hinted I'll probably be gone for a bit." He originally planned to have Kenta get his mail for him, but he was so distracted by the whole date thing that it slipped his mind. And somewhere in the back of his mind he didn't want Kenta anywhere near Seyuri.

"Sure," she took the keys from him and placed them in her bag for safekeeping. The two continued to talk about small things as she started dinner. When Tokiro returned home Kakashi excused himself. The rest of the evening went by in a blur, Seyuri was so tired she fell right asleep after showering and tucking Tokiro into bed.


	7. Chapter 7 - Anxiety and Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

The following morning Seyuri woke early. She forced herself to stretch her sore, stiff muscles before she made two lunches, one for her and one for Tokiro. After getting Tokiro up she left and headed for the Hokage's building. By the time she reached the top to Tsunade's office she felt like her legs were going to fall off.

"What's wrong with you?" Tsunade asked when Seyuri stiffly entered the room.

"Shizune's trying to kill me," she replied and headed towards the study. She set her things down then went back out into the main office. "Where is Shizune?" she asked Tsunade.

"She's running a little late," Tsunade responded, "She should be here soon though."

"Alright, I'm going to go over yesterday's material while I wait," Seyuri said and returned to the study. She pulled out her notes and books then started to go through them. Shizune showed up about twenty minutes later.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized to Seyuri then quickly got into the days material. Before long, it was time to head to the hospital. "Most of the staff already knows you're coming.I also got you thins," Shizune held out an identification card with Seyuri's picture on it. The two left the Hokage's office after saying good bye to Tsunade and started on their way to the hospital."I'm really surprised you're catching on so quickly to the medical knowledge. You really seem to understand a lot of the complicated parts."

"I find it very interesting," Seyuri said ,"And a lot of it is like a puzzle. Everything connects with something else and I can't help but to want to figure it out."

"That's good," Shizune said, "because there is still a lot we have to cover and it's only going to get more complex and difficult." They continued to talk about their upcoming lessons until they reached the hospital.

Seyuri suddenly felt a little nervous as they approached the entrance to the large building. She took a deep breath and calmed herself as they walked through the front doors. Shizune led them down a long hallway to the right and into what looked like a break room, there were several people sitting at a table.

Shizune introduced Seyuri to the staff. "It's nice to meet everyone," Seyuri said, "I look forward to working and learning from you." She was soon instructed in the different procedures and policies in the clinic and observed the rest of the day.

The last patient of the day Shizune had Seyuri take care of. "Don't worry, I will double check everything," she said when Seyuri seemed nervous.

"Okay," She nodded and entered the exam room with Shizune. "Hello," she greeted the patient, "I'm Seyuri Ishikawa and I'll be taking care of you today. According to the nurse you reported a persistent cough and fatigue. Are there any other symptoms or problems you're having?" Seyuri observed the patient closely. He was a middle aged man and rather pale. She then checked his chart again. "It also seems like you've lost some weight since your visit. Was that intentional?"

The patient shook his head, "No, I just don't feel well and have no appetite." He then started coughing violently and she go him a cup of water.

"Don't worry," Seyuri told him, "We'll get to the bottom of this." She started going through all of the standard notions, checking his throat, ears, and nose. When she listened to his lungs she frowned. There was a lot of wheezing, but she couldn't hear any congestion. "Sir, do you have asthma?" she asked.

The man shook his head, "No. I just started with this cough about a month ago."

She nodded, "Okay, I'm going to run a little test with my chakra. It won't hurt, but it may feel a little strange." The man gave his consent and Seyuri placed her hand on his and closed her eyes, concentrating on letting her chakra flow into the man. As she did she made mental notes on any areas that seemed to be abnormal. "Okay," she said after a few minutes and removed her hand, "I need to consult with my colleague and I'll be right back in to speak with you."

Seyuri exited the room with Shizune and went to a small vacant room down the hall. "Well?" Shizune asked curiously.

"I'm not 100% confident, but I'm pretty sure he has a large mass in his left lung and a few smaller ones in his right," Seyuri said frowning, "I would like to send him for further testing to verify."

"Alright," Shizune said with a smile, "That's the perfect way to handle this situation. We will get him scheduled for tests and have him set up an appointment with his usual doctor." The two returned to the exam room and explained their course of action with the patient.

After they were done the two headed to the employee locker room to get their things. Seyuri changed her clothes since they would be heading to the training field and they started on their way. Today they focused on flexibility, which Seyuri was grateful for since her muscles were still sore from the previous day. Shizune had Seyuri go through several balancing and flexibility techniques for the next two hours. Even though the movements weren't very strenuous she found herself covered in sweat by the time they were done.

Seyuri was wiping the sweat off herself with a small towel when Shizune asked, "So, any plans this weekend?"

Seyuri put her towel away and turned to face her."Not really," she responded and picked her stuff up, "probably just studying and whatever Tokiro wants to do."

"Well, that sounds like loads of fun," Shizune said sarcastically as the two headed off the training field. "If you're up for it, me and my friend, Tsuki, are going to be doing some shopping on Saturday. You're more than welcome to join us. We are meeting up at Ichiroku Ramen at 11:00. Tsuki is one of the nurses you met at the clinic today, I think you two will get along really well."

"You know," Seyuri smiled, at the brunette, "As long as Tokiro doesn't have anything going on I think I will join you. I haven't really had time to explore the town since I moved here and I think this will be a perfect opportunity. It will also be nice to make a new friend."

"Sounds good. Let me know tomorrow if you can come," Shizune said as they parted ways.

"Will do, see you tomorrow!" Seyuri waved goodbye and made her way home. She stopped and picked up hers and Kakashi's mail on her way. She let herself into his apartment and deposited a couple of envelopes on his kitchen counter before leaving and locking the door behind then headed to her own apartment and wasted no time as she started dinner. "Tokiro," she called the young boy from the kitchen.

"Yes?" his voice sounded from the doorway, "What is it Sey-chan? Do you need help?"

"That would be great," she turned and smiled at him, "Can you please get the eggs and oil out? Also, what are you doing on Saturday?"

Tokiro retrieved the items Seyuri asked for and set them on the counter next to where she was chopping some vegetables. "A couple of my friends wanted to go train in the park together, is it okay if I go?" he asked.

"Sure," Seyuri said as she put the oil and vegetable in a pan on the stove and cracked the eggs in a bowl then whisked them together. "I'm going to go shopping with Shizune and one of her friends. Maybe we can do something together on Sunday. We can go to the park and maybe you can show me what you're learning."

"Really?" the boy asked excitedly, "I'll let my friends know tomorrow that I can go. I can't wait to show you what I've learned with my shuriken. My friends all said I'm really good and tomorrow they want me to help them train. But Yo-kun is better at kicks so he's going to help me with my kicks..." Tokiro continued telling Seyuri all about his friends and what he was learning at the Academy while they made dinner together.

After dinner the two both cleaned up and took showers before sitting back down at the table to study. They took turns quizzing each other before Seyuri tucked Tokiro into bed for the night. She returned to the kitchen and picked up all of her stuff before heading to her own bed. She stared at the ceiling thinking about how much her life had changed in the last few weeks. So much had happened and she could hardly comprehend it. Before long she drifted off into sleep.

X

The rest of the week passed similarly and Seyuri was tired as she made her way back to her home from the training field on Friday. She stopped to check hers and Kakashi's mail and headed up the she reached the top she was greeted with the sight of a tall, curvy blonde woman banging and shouting at Kakashi's door.

"Um, he is out on a mission right now," Seyuri said as she approached the woman.

The woman turned and looked at Seyuri then snorted, "Honey, why don't you mind your own business. I think he would tell ME if he was going on a mission." She flipped her hair then crossed her arms over her chest while glaring at Seyuri. In response the redhead shrugged and turned to go to her own apartment, too tire to argue. "Excuse me!" the woman said rudely, "I was talking to you!"

"I told you," Seyuri turned around, "He is out on a mission, if you want to leave a message I will give it to him when he returns."

"Who are you?" the woman asked suspiciously, putting her hands on her hips, "And how do you know Kakashi?"

Seyuri sighed exasperatedly. "My name is Seyuri Ishikawa and I live next door," she pointed at her door, "Now, if you don't want to leave a message I'm going home. Have a good evening."

"Don't get any ideas," The woman said as Seyuri turned to her door "He's taken."

The redhead chuckled and smiled at the blonde, not really too amused, "It never crossed my mind, good bye." She closed the door behind her and sighed. Having to deal with Kakashi's jealous girlfriend was not what she was expecting. She took her shoes off and headed to the kitchen. She was setting her things down on the counter when she noticed the envelope with Kakashi's name on it and cursed under her breath. There was no way she was bringing that over there until she was sure Ms. Jealous was gone. She was also going to have words with Kakashi about his taste in women, she was so rude!

The rest of the evening passed quietly and before be she brought Kakashi's mail over, double checking the hall before she unlocked his door. She placed the letter with the others and let herself out only to be confronted by the blonde woman again. "Ah!" she exclaimed as she opened the door, startled.

"What are you doing?!" the woman said loudly, clearly angry.

"Dropping off some mail," Seyuri said, stepping around the woman and putting some space in between them.

"I already told you," the blond seethed, "He's mine, stay away from him. Give me his keys."

"No," Seyuri said flatly and stared at the crazy woman in front of her, "If he wanted you to have them he would have given them to you. I have no interest in him, so you have nothing to be jealous over. He asked me to get his mail while he was away, when he gets back ask him yourself why he didn't have you do it. Now, I'm tired, good night." Without giving the woman time to reply she crossed the hall and entered her apartment, locking the door behind her.

She stood in front of the door for a moment, half expecting the crazy woman to try and follow her. When she heard footsteps going down the hall she sighed and went to check on Tokiro. He was sleeping peacefully in his bed and the sight dissipated some of her annoyance. She smiled and closed his door quietly then headed for the shower. It had been a long week and she was looking forward to a relaxing hot shower. She let the hot water run down her body and felt her annoyance return as she thought of the confrontation with the blonde woman. She was more irritated over the fact that she felt annoyed in the first place. Who Kakashi dated was none of her business and she certainly didn't need that woman to tell her that. Seyuri sighed as the woman's words rang through her head, 'He's mine, stay away from him.' She wasn't lying when she told the woman she had no interest in him in that way. It wasn't that that she didn't think Kakashi wasn't attractive, _any_ woman would find Kakashi attractive. It was her situation and circumstances that stopped her from having a relationship with anybody. How could she put another person in danger like that?

The water started to run cold and she turned it off. The redhead wrapped herself in a towel and headed into her bedroom somewhat depressed. She put on a large tee shirt and shorts then climbed into bed. She watched the moon through the window while depressing thought continued to run through her mind. Although she had never really taken an interest in men or dating, was she really destined to be alone her entire life? Every woman has at one point dreamed about love and marriage. Was that really just an unattainable dream for her now? She shook her head to clear her thoughts and rolled over so she was looking at the wall. She vowed she would work hard to become stronger before falling into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning Seyuri woke up tired from tossing and turning most the night before. She made coffee and sat at the table staring out the window, enjoying the peace and quiet as the sun slowly started to rise. She smiled as the warm rays slowly spilled onto the village, creating a beautiful scene. After a while she started making breakfast and a sleepy Tokiro stumbled into the kitchen. "Good morning," she greeted him and set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast on the table.

"Good morning," he yawned and took a seat. He started eating and said between bites, "I'm meeting..my...friends at...9:30."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Seyuri scolded him and took a seat across from him at the table.

Tokiro swallowed h is food and looked at her sheepishly. "I'm meeting my friends at 9:30," he repeated, "Can i bring a couple sandwiches for lunch and I'll be home for dinner?"

"That's better," she smiled and nodded her head, "You can bring lunch with your. Make sure you're back in time for dinner though. I should be home by then." After breakfast the two cleaned up then Seyuri made Tokiro lunch while he gathered what he would need to train with his fiends. Shortly after, Seyuri gave him a hug and Tokiro was on his way to meet his friends.

"Guess I should get myself ready too," she muttered to herself and headed to her bedroom. She opened her closet and looked through the few clothes she had. "I could really use some new clothes, especially now that I've settled down in one place," she pulled a simple short sleeved light green dress off a hanger and held it up against herself. This was her favorite dress and she remembered this was the dress she had been wearing when she first came to this village. She looked in the mirror next to her closet and noticed how the dress was starting to show some signs of wear. It was beginning to look a bit faded and worn in spots.

The redhead sighed and headed to the bathroom where she took a shower and got dressed. When she was finished to looked in the mirror and shook her head. She noticed dark circles under her eyes, proof she had not slept well the night before, and a general look of fatigue as a whole. Sighing she pulled away from the mirror and headed out to the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, she quickly grabbed her purse and headed for the door. It was 10:30 and she didn't want to be late. When she arrived at the meeting spot Shizune was already there. "Hey!" she greeted her with a smile.

"Hey," Shizune smiled back then frowned, "What happened to you? You look like crap."

"I didn't sleep well last night," Seyuri said, "Does it really look that bad?"

"We may need to stop and get some cosmetics," Shizune teased, "People are going to think you're a zombie."

"Thanks," Seyuri said sarcastically, "I've never used makeup, so even if I get some I won't have any idea how to use it..." At that moment a short woman with light blue hair tied up in a high ponytail approached the two.

"Sorry if I'm late. You ready for some shopping? Hi, Seyuri," she turned towards her, "I'm happy you could come with us."

"Thanks for inviting," she replied, "I really needed to get out for some new clothes and I haven't really had a chance to look around the village since I got here."

"We'll find you the perfect clothes!" Tsuki exclaimed excitedly.

"And some makeup to cover those circles," Shizune chimed in, "And I'm sure Tsuki will have no problem showing you how to use it."

"This is going to be so much fun, it's been forever since we've had a girls day," Tsuki said happily while hooking arms with both Seyuri and Shizune and leading them down the road.

Tsuki seemed to be having the time of her life picking out clothes for Seyuri and Shizune to try on, stating these were the latest fashion. "Everything looks so cute on you Seyuri," she said as the redhead stepped out of the changing room for what felt like the millionth time.

"Thanks," Seyuri said as she came out of the dressing room, "but I think I've chosen what I want. This, this, and this..." she showed the other two what she picked and they agreed with the selection.

"Ah," Tsuki said looking at a dress Seyuri had discarded, "This one looked so cute on you. You should get this one too, and it's on sale right now. It's an absolute steal."

"It's very pretty," Seyuri agreed eyeing the pretty soft pink material, "but where would I ever wear it? It's not something you would wear everyday."

"On a date, of course," Tsuki said and Seyuri frowned, thinking of what had kept her awake the night before.

"I need to get Tokiro some clothes too," she said suddenly, changing the subject, "I'll be right over there..."

Tsuki looked at Shizune and little worried,"I hope I didn't say anything to upset her."

"It's okay," Shizune reassured her, "She's just not really looking for a relationship right now. Things are a little complicated."

"I see," Tsuki said thoughtfully, "Who's Tokiro?"

"You should ask her that. I'm sure she won't have any trouble letting you know," Shizune said as the two approached Seyuri in the children's section.

"You guys think he'll like this?" Seyuri asked as the two stood next to her and she held up a shirt with a shuriken on it. She noticed the confused look on Tsuki's face and explained, "It's for Tokiro. He's an orphan boy I took in about 4 years ago and he's staying with me. He just started at the Academy. Do you think he'll like this?"

The three of them picked out at few outfits for Tokiro and paid for their items. They then stopped at a cosmetic shop where Tsuki schooled Seyuri about makeup. After purchasing a few items that Tsuki deemed absolutely necessary for all women they headed to a small tea house for lunch.

"You said earlier you couldn't sleep last night," Shizune looked at Seyuri after they placed their orders, "Any particular reason why?"

"I was just irritated," Seyuri said, careful not to say anything that could compromise her identity with Tsuki there. "I had an argument with Kakashi's girlfriend when I got home last night-"

"Wait," Tsuki interjected, "You mean Kakashi Hatake?"

"Yes," Seyuri quickly explained, "Kakashi is my neighbor and Tsunade assigned him to help my caravan when I first came here as a merchant. What you are thinking right now is not what is going on. I don't have any desire to start that kind of relationship with anybody right now."

"I see," Tsuki said, "And if you do decide you want one of 'those relationships' steer clear of Kakashi. He's a heart breaker and a playboy. He doesn't really do the whole relationship thing, more of a 'fling' kind of guy to put it nicely. Anyway, how did you get in an argument with his girlfriend? I thought he was out on a mission right now."

Seyuri told the other two women about the two confrontations she had with the blonde woman. "I was so tired I just left her in the hallway and returned to my apartment," she finished, "What he could possibly see in that woman is beyond me."

"Did you get her name?" Shizune asked and Seyuri shook her head then described what she looked like. "That's definitely Chiya," Shizune said, "and I can tell you right now that's the type Kakashi usually goes for. No brains, but a nice body. Chiya definitely fits that bill plus a huge side of attitude."

"Well, whatever helps him sleep at night I guess," Seyuri said and took a sip of her tea.

"I think his point is to NOT sleep at night," Tsuki said causing Seyuri to nearly choke on her tea.

The three laughed and enjoyed their lunch. They talked about anything and everything they could think of. When they were finished eating they had fun window shopping and showing Seyuri around. Around 4:00 Tsuki said she had to go and they all promised to get together another day soon.

Seyuri was about to say her goodbyes to Shizune but she cut her off before she could. "If you don't mind I would like to stop over to your place. I haven't seen it yet," she said looking at the redhead in front of her, "And maybe you can tell me what's really bothering you."

"You saw right through me huh?" Seyuri said with a sigh as they started back to her place. "In my defense I couldn't really say much with Tsuki there...or in public for that matter."

"Ill help you make dinner too," Shizune said, "You've been through a lot in the past few weeks and you probably have some stuff to get off your chest. You can tell me all about as we cook a delicious dinner."

Tokiro hadn't arrived back yet when the two women entered Seyuri's apartment. She showed Shizune around and set the things she had bought down in the living room to show Tokiro when he got home. The two then got to cooking while Shizune prodded Seyuri for what was bothering her. It took a little bit, but eventually the redhead let her know about her fears and anxieties while the two busied themselves with food preparation.

"I think you may be over thinking things and even over looking other things," Shizune said when Seyuri was done, "Right now things may be a little precarious, but this situation will more than likely be resolved eventually. You will always have to be somewhat careful, but the immediate danger right now will pass. There are also plenty of ninja's in this village who have bounties on them from the underground. I know it may seem like a lot right now, but you're also working to become stronger. Besides, you can't really make a decision on what is best for somebody else, that's something they have to decide. I also don't think that we'll be able to keep your identity secret for forever. As you get stronger and more accomplished it will draw more attention and somebody is bound to figure it out. I'm not saying not to be careful, but you should stop stressing about it so much. Everything will work out great in the end and I don't think you'll have any problem finding a suitor, you're pretty cute."

Seyuri smiled at Shizune and rolled her eyes at her last comment, "Thanks. It felt really good to talk about that and get it off my chest. I guess I need to work even harder, I won't give up. And I'm not looking for suitors..."

"That's the spirit,' Shizune said as Tokiro walked in.

"Sey-chan I'm home!" he called out as he stepped into the kitchen, "I hope you don't mind, but I invited Ho-kun to dinner." Another boy stepped into the kitchen behind Tokiro. He was the same height with black hair, azure eyes, and pale skin.

"Of course, there is plenty for everybody," Seyuri said as she approached the boys. "I'm Seyuri Ishikawa," she smiled, "Do your parents know you're here?"

"Yes," the boy said shyly, "We stopped there on the way here. They said I have to go home after dinner. My name is Hokuto Miyata, it's nice to meet you."

"Alright," Seyuri said kindly, "Tokiro, you two can go play until dinner's ready. It should be done soon."

"Okay, Sey-chan," he said happily and dragged Ho-kun to his room.

Seyuri returned to the stove and Shizune was leaning against the counter. "He seems to be adjust pretty well," she commented as Seyuri stirred a pot.

"Yeah," she replied and turned the burner off and spun around to face Shizune, "He really likes it here and has made friends easily. It almost makes me feel guilty for not having settled down sooner." She started setting the table and called the boys out to eat. Dinner was lively as Hokuto and Tokiro told them all about their friends and what they had done that day.

After dinner the boys picked up while Seyuri and Shizune talked a bit. When they were done Shizune said she would walk Hokuto home. They all said their farewells and Seyuri and Tokiro went into the living room so Seyuri could show him the clothes she had gotten him. "I love this one!," he exclaimed while holding up the one with the shuriken on it, "I'm going to wear this one tomorrow when we go out. I'll put these away now so they don't get wrinkled." He gathered up all his new clothes and headed to his room.

Seyuri put her own things away then gathered up the dirty laundry. "I'm going to do laundry," she stuck her head in Tokiro's room, "Bring me your dirty clothes, I'll be leaving in a few minutes." She grabbed a few books to study while doing the wash and waited by the front door for Tokiro to bring her his dirty laundry. "I'll be right down the hall if you need me," she said giving him a quick kiss on the head, "I'm going to lock the door, don't answer it and please take your bath."

The boy nodded his head and Seyuri headed out the door and down the hall to the communal laundry area. She got her wash started then sat down at a table with her books. She was concentrating on the text and making notes when a voice suddenly whispered in her ear, "Taking your studies very seriously I see..."

"EEK!" she umped in her chair and tried to turn to face the mystery person at the same time causing her to fall forward. She reached out to grab whoever it was and stop herself from falling. Her fingers squeezed muscled arms as her emerald eyes met a single onyx one and a scowl replaced the surprise on her face. "Kakashi!" she exclaimed and slapped his chest, sitting up right, "Stop doing that to me. You're going to give me a heart attack!"

He laughed and caught her hand in his as she swatted at him. "You make it too easy though," he said and looked down at the small redhead in front of him with an amused expression on his face, "Your reactions never disappoint and are quite amusing."

"Idiot," she mumbled, "I'm so happy I give you such great entertainment."

"Now, now, don't be angry," he teased, "I did just get back after all."

"Oh!" she said and looked up at him, "You are back sooner than I expected. Everything went well I hope."

He looked somber for a moment before replying carefully, "Things could have turned out better, just some unexpected delays..." Seyuri's eyes flitted to his hand still covering her and she pulled it back, a slight blush covering her cheeks as she looked down. Noticing her reaction Kakashi decided a little more teasing would lighten the mood, "What's with the blush? You're not falling for me, are you?" He laughed as her blush deepened, "Like I said, the best reactions."

"Who would fall for an idiot like you?" she replied after a few moments to compose herself and crossed her arms over her chest.

"This may surprise you," he said, "but the ladies seem to like me and they haven't even seen my face."

Seyuri suddenly thought of Chiya and the conversation she had with Tsuki and Shizune earlier that day. "Can't say I'm really surprised, I've heard some things...mostly warnings," she said and laughed at how the comment had caught him off guard, "You can't tell me that you're unaware of your own reputation?" It was her turn to tease him now.

"And what exactly is this reputation you are talking about?" he asked, self conscious of how she might think of him. In reality, he knew exactly what reputation she was talking about and, although it didn't usually bother him, he didn't want her thinking badly of him.

"Relax," she said laughed, "I'm just teasing you. Your girlfriend stopped by while you were away."

Kakashi looked at her a little confused and asked, "Who? I'm not seeing anybody at the moment."

Seyuri felt slightly relieved at his statement and instantly kicked herself mentally for acknowledging it. Tsuki had just warned her earlier that day about Kakashi and she also knew she had no time for any such relationships at the moment. "Well, she was really jealous that I was getting your mail and made it a point to inform me that you were hers. So naturally, I just assumed..." Kakashi looked at her perplexed. "You know, tall pretty blonde with legs up to here and..." she held her hands out in front of her chest like she was holding a couple melons.

He burst out laughing at her motions and she stared at him flatly until he calmed down. "I think I know who you're talking about," he said after catching his breath, "We had a thing a while ago, but I broke it off shortly after it even started. I'm surprised she was even around here, I haven't seen her in well over a month."

"I can't say I approve of your...flings, but jeez, you can do better than that. I thought she was going to try and follow me into my apartment when I wouldn't give her your keys," she said with a sigh.

Kakashi's onyx eye settled on the petite girl in front of him and he couldn't help but to wonder what she thought of him at that moment. He was pretty sure it wasn't very ideal and he begrudgingly acknowledged that he wasn't fond of her thinking poorly of him. "I'll have a talk with her again, he said after a moment, "Sorry you had to deal with her she's a bit-"

"Crazy?" Seyuri finished and her emerald eyes met his, the corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile. At that moment the washer dinged, signaling it was done. She moved past him to move her laundry to the drier and he couldn't help but to notice the familiar subtle sweet scent she always had. His eye followed her as she went about her business, he smiled to himself when she dropped something on the floor and she cursed under her breath. He shook his head then to clear his thoughts, he was getting way too interested in her. She wasn't the type you could have a little fun with and drop off at home and say goodbye. In fact, the thought of doing that to _her_ absolutely disgusted him.

"Hellooo! Earth to Kakashi," he shook his head and saw Seyuri waving her hand in front of him and he glanced at her face, "Welcome back, I thought I lost you there. You must be exhausted to have spaced out like that. Here, sit down." She moved another chair over to the table she was at for him and she gently guided him to sit down then glanced at him with a concerned look from her own seat.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he noticed her concerned stare.

"You didn't get hurt while you were away, did you?" she asked a little shyly, "I know it's not really my business and you don't have to tell me, I was just a little worried..."

He smiled and reached out and patted her head, "Nothing serious, just a few bruises. You don't need to worry about me."

"I'm not a kid," she said a little irritated and swatted at his hand on her head, "And it's normal to worry for your friends."

He looked at her a little shocked by her comment then nodded, "I suppose you're right. It's like you said earlier, more than anything, I'm exhausted."

"Sorry," she sighed and looked down at her hands, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm tired too, I couldn't sleep at all last night."

He looked at her a little more closely and noticed the circles under her eyes, "Did something happen?"

"No," she said and leaned back in her chair, "I was just feeling a little overwhelmed and the anxiety got to me. But, I'm feeling better now after talking with Shizune about it. She pointed out a few things I didn't realize, so it made the future seem a little bit brighter." She gave him a small smile.

"Well, that's understandable," Kakashi said, "Your life has been completely upturned the last few weeks, it's only natural that you would have some anxieties over it. You should also take a break at time too. All work and no play is only going to exhaust you."

"I went out with Shizune and Tsuki today for a girls day," Seyuri told him happily, "It was really nice. We went shopping and had lunch. Talked about everything under the sun, from clothing and men to our jobs and dreams. It was just what I needed and I made a new friend."

"That's good," he said and arched an eyebrow, "I thought you weren't interested in men at the moment though."

"I'm not at the moment, but that doesn't mean I won't be when I get my shit together," she looked at him, "Is it really that surprising to you? I'm not going to become a nun if you're still thinking about that..."

Kakashi smiled at the nun comment. "You would make a wonderful nun though," he said jokingly before continuing, "I guess I just haven't reached that point in my own life where I've really thought about settling down. I'm not sure about it, especially with my profession. I just don't think it would be in the other persons best interest..."

"I thought the same way," Seyuri said after a moment, the only sounds in the room were the washer and dryer running, "But Shizune pointed out that that decision isn't really ours to make. We can't tell somebody else what's best for them, that's something they need to decide. At the moment it would be very unfair of me to put somebody in that position because they don't know who I really am. Hell, right now, I barely know who I am."

"But at the same time, how could you put somebody you love through the misery of losing you?" he asked, the conversation getting even deeper, "Wouldn't that be completely selfish?"

"Not really," she said slowly, trying to choose the best words, "That person would already know that is a possibility. Besides, everybody deserves to be loved. Don't you think?"

Kakashi sat silently for a bit contemplating Seyuri's words. He couldn't find fault with anything she said and it bothered him. He broke the silence after a moment and noticed that her emerald eyes were watching him intently, "I suppose that is a different way to think about it."

"I think it's best to try to see things from different points of view," she smiled softly at him and the buzzer went off on the dryer her clothes were in. She busied herself with folding the clothes before they wrinkled and packed them neatly in her basket. "Well, I guess I'll see you later," she said as she gathered her books, "Stop by for your keys when you get a moment."

"I'll carry that back for you," he said and grabbed the basket out of her hands, "It's not like I have anything to do while my clothes dry." She let him carry the basket as she led the way out of the laundry room. A few steps down the hall she suddenly stopped and the books she was carrying hit the floor as her eyes went wide with panic at the site in front of her.

X

A/N: Thought I'd leave you with a nice little cliffy. Shit's about to get real. Sorry if there are a lot of grammar/spelling errors. I usually write by hand then type it out, but this time around I went to town on the computer.

I was also thinking of putting up a Christmas special/one shot. Let me know in the comments if you want one.


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